Patients could soon benefit from world-leading technology to diagnose bowel cancer earlier, faster, and cheaper, reducing the need for invasive procedures.
The government has announced that this innovation could save valuable time and resources for the NHS.
Developed by Xgenera in collaboration with the University of Southampton, this technology aims to detect bowel cancer earlier, improving diagnosis rates and offering patients more time to treat the disease effectively. Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, with over 42,000 diagnoses each year. Early detection is crucial, with a 90% survival rate at stage 1 compared to just 10% at stage 4.
The government’s Plan for Change is driving improvements in cancer care, including reducing waiting times for lower gastrointestinal diagnosis. From July 2024 to February 2025, 76.6% of patients received their cancer diagnosis or all clear within 28 days, a 4 percentage point increase from the previous year.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“From my own experience, I know the devastating toll cancer can take on patients and families, and how many of them have been faced with long waiting lists to get the diagnosis and treatment they deserve.
“We know that the key to surviving cancer is catching it as early as possible, so this government is taking the urgent action needed to make sure that happens through our Plan for Change, from developing world leading technology to detect bowel cancer earlier, through to setting up hubs for the UK’s top scientists to research and treat the disease.
“Dame Deborah James dedicated her life to raising awareness for cancer and finding ways that we can beat it, so it is only right that we honour her legacy by investing in research to help stop one of the country’s biggest killers.
“And research is only one part of the work we’re doing. Our National Cancer Plan will transform cancer so patients can get the latest treatments and technology, ultimately bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to some of the best in the world.”
The BowelBabe Laboratory will unite leading scientists to advance bowel cancer research and develop new treatments. In collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the government has awarded £2.4 million to develop the AI-driven blood test, miONCO-Dx. This test, based on data from over 20,000 patients, is a cheaper, faster, and more scalable solution. It will be assessed in a clinical trial of 8,000 patients to ensure it is fit for NHS use.
The miONCO-Dx test measures microRNA in a blood sample and uses AI to detect cancer and its location in the body. Initial tests show over 99% accuracy in detecting 12 common and lethal cancers, including bowel cancer. This world-leading trial positions Britain at the forefront of healthcare innovation.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer of the NIHR and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, also commented:
“Innovations such as the mIONCO-Dx blood test offer an exciting new era in cancer detection with the potential for quicker, easier and more effective ways to detect cancers before they become more difficult to treat.
“The NIHR is supporting initiatives such as these, utilising the latest technologies such as AI, to provide patients and the public with timely, accurate and easily accessible options. Supporting the UK’s thriving life sciences sector is key to seeing these strides in diagnosis and early prevention.”
This simple blood test can identify cancer earlier, making treatment more effective, cheaper, and easier, potentially freeing up NHS resources and staff time. Early detection is vital, as survivability drops significantly as the disease progresses.
Investing in technologies like miONCO-Dx is essential to reducing cancer-related deaths. The government’s commitment to fighting cancer includes the National Cancer Plan, aimed at improving patient experience and outcomes. This strategy is part of a broader effort to reduce deaths from major diseases, with AI and innovative technologies speeding up diagnosis and treatment.
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