Womb cancer, also called endometrial or uterine cancer (EC), is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK and the number of new cases per year is rising. There are significant disparities in outcomes, with data from the UK and US showing that Black women are twice as likely to die from this type of cancer compared to White women.
One major challenge in diagnosis is the low specificity of the current test, transvaginal ultrasound, which often leads to unnecessary further testing for women without cancer. Delays in diagnosis also worsen outcomes with a three-to-six-month delay resulting in 24% to 43% more deaths from EC each year.
Sola Diagnostics, has developed a test that can detect EC from a swab sample – far less invasive than the current test, a transvaginal ultrasound. The WID®-easy test has also been shown to be sensitive and accurate regardless of ethnicity. The Eve Appeal funded research that led to the development of this test.
Prof Martin Widschwendter, founder of Sola Diagnostics said:
The WID®-easy test is the first test of its kind in the UK, using a simple swab method to detect womb cancer. Not only will it speed up the diagnosis process for patients, but it will also help many more women rule out womb cancer much sooner, avoiding long waits and uncomfortable tests.
Athena Lamnisos, CEO of the Eve Appeal said:
Seeing the WID®-easy test go to pilot in London is a huge step forward. It has the potential to save thousands of women from needing further tests for their symptoms and can reduce the burden on the NHS by avoiding extra appointments and diagnostic procedures such as hysteroscopies and biopsies. Finding out you ‘might’ have cancer causes huge anxiety. A faster, sensitive and less invasive test could be a game changer.
The NIHR has awarded Sola Diagnostics £2 million in funding through its i4i programme to trial their test. The funding will deliver the EASY CARE study in four hospitals across North Central London – UCLH, Royal Free Hospital, Barnet General Hospital and North Middlesex Hospital. The interventional trial will deliver further evidence on WID®-easy performance compared with the current ultrasound, demonstrate feasibility of rapid results turnaround in the NHS, and generate vital data about the womb cancer care pathway.
As part of this funding, we will lead activities to understand what helps or hinders patients and staff from using the test in primary and secondary care.
Jessica Thomas, Director of Solutions from UCLPartners said:
We have worked with NCL Cancer Alliance to support Sola Diagnostics in securing their i4i funding, and we are excited to continue our work them. We will be delivering a programme of activities to understand patient and staff experiences of the test in primary and secondary care.
Prof Derralynn Hughes, co-clinical director of the NCL Cancer Alliance said:
This is a promising innovation that could benefit thousands of women with suspected endometrial cancer each year. The opportunity to reach higher proportions of women from minority ethnic communities and to offer a better patient experience while going through a worrying diagnostic procedure aligns with our strategic objectives for improved cancer care. We will be involved throughout the study and will share findings across North Central London and with other cancer alliances to ensure this test reaches all those who stand to benefit from it.