
Photo Credit: Manchester University
Scientific Frontline: Extended "At a Glance" Summary: The DETECT Diagnostic Test
The Core Concept: A non-invasive diagnostic test that analyzes cells from urine and vaginal fluid to identify endometrial (womb) cancer in women experiencing postmenopausal bleeding.
Key Distinction/Mechanism: Unlike current standard practices, which rely on uncomfortable, invasive, and costly hospital investigations to rule out cancer, this test utilizes cytopathology to examine easily collected bodily fluids, correctly identifying over 80 percent of cancers.
Major Frameworks/Components:
- Cytology: Microscopic examination of cells from urine and vaginal fluid samples by specialist cytopathologists.
- High Sensitivity for Aggressive Cancers: Demonstrated a 95.8 percent identification rate for high-grade tumors and a 96.4 percent rate for cancers that had spread beyond the uterus.
- High Negative Predictive Value: Achieved a 98.8 percent negative predictive value, meaning a negative test result strongly indicates the absence of womb cancer.
- Health Equity: The test showed a 100 percent detection rate with 96 percent specificity in Black women, a demographic historically impacted by poorly calibrated current tests and a doubled mortality rate from womb cancer in the UK.

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