Five hospitals in England and Wales have switched to a new urine test for bladder cancer, replacing the traditional invasive hospital procedure. The Galeas bladder test, which patients can take at home and post back, has been described by doctors as a major breakthrough due to its speed, accuracy, and convenience.
The standard method, cystoscopy, involves inserting a tube and camera through the penis or urethra, causing discomfort that leads some patients to decline it. In contrast, the Galeas test is a DNA-based analysis of 23 genes commonly associated with bladder cancer, requiring only a urine sample. An NHS trial involving 964 patients at seven hospitals found it correctly identified bladder cancer in 92% of participants, compared to 81% for cystoscopy.
University Hospitals of Leicester recently became the first NHS trust in England to adopt the test, and at least 16 other hospitals are expected to follow by the end of the year. Jayne Douglas-Moore, a consultant urological surgeon at Leicester, said the test is “a significant breakthrough” for a cancer that affects over 10,000 people annually in the UK. Early data from her trust suggests the test may diagnose the disease 50% faster than cystoscopy, with patients receiving results within 16 days of referral.
Jeff Bousfield, chief executive of Nonacus, the biotech firm behind the test, said it aims to improve the 92% accuracy further as rollout continues. Tony Hickson of Cancer Research UK, which co-funded initial studies, noted the test could replace unpleasant procedures and catch cases earlier. Prof Frankie Swords, NHS England’s national medical director, praised the innovation as another example of NHS adoption of new technologies to improve patient care.
