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| Oesophageal cancer: Cambridge researchers begin capsule sponge trial | Oesophageal cancer: Cambridge researchers begin capsule sponge trial |
| (4 months later) | |
| Tim Cowper, 49, from Cambridge, has had acid reflux, or heartburn, every night since he was 16 | Tim Cowper, 49, from Cambridge, has had acid reflux, or heartburn, every night since he was 16 |
| Tim Cowper, 49, from Cambridge, has had acid reflux, or heartburn, every night since he was 16 | |
| A man said it "means a lot" to become the first person to join a clinical trial that could lead to a new type of cancer screening available on the NHS. | A man said it "means a lot" to become the first person to join a clinical trial that could lead to a new type of cancer screening available on the NHS. |
| Researchers will see whether a "capsule sponge" can help prevent oesophageal cancer among those most at risk. | Researchers will see whether a "capsule sponge" can help prevent oesophageal cancer among those most at risk. |
| Tim Cowper will take part in the BEST4 trial beginning at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on Tuesday. | Tim Cowper will take part in the BEST4 trial beginning at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on Tuesday. |
| The £6.4m project is jointly funded by Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. | The £6.4m project is jointly funded by Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. |
| Oesophageal cancer is found anywhere in the oesophagus, sometimes called the gullet or food pipe, external. | |
| Mr Cowper, who works as a brewer, says he has suffered acid reflux, or heartburn, every night since he was 16. | Mr Cowper, who works as a brewer, says he has suffered acid reflux, or heartburn, every night since he was 16. |
| "Since my diagnosis, I've been going for an endoscopy at least once every three years to monitor my oesophagus. It is not pleasant at all," said the 49-year-old, from Cambridge. | "Since my diagnosis, I've been going for an endoscopy at least once every three years to monitor my oesophagus. It is not pleasant at all," said the 49-year-old, from Cambridge. |
| "Swallowing a capsule sponge is a much better experience." | "Swallowing a capsule sponge is a much better experience." |
| 'Game-changer' cancer sponge checks launched | 'Game-changer' cancer sponge checks launched |
| 'Game-changer' cancer sponge checks launched | |
| Plans for £300m cancer hospital move forward | Plans for £300m cancer hospital move forward |
| Plans for £300m cancer hospital move forward | |
| 'Sponge on a string' test for cancer | 'Sponge on a string' test for cancer |
| 'Sponge on a string' test for cancer | |
| The capsule sponge, known as the pill-on-a-thread, is a quick and simple test for Barrett's oesophagus,, external a condition that can be a precursor to cancer. | |
| Patients are asked to swallow the capsule containing the sponge, which dissolves in the stomach, but expands to the size of a 50p coin. | Patients are asked to swallow the capsule containing the sponge, which dissolves in the stomach, but expands to the size of a 50p coin. |
| The sponge is carefully pulled back up using the string, collecting cells for laboratory testing. | The sponge is carefully pulled back up using the string, collecting cells for laboratory testing. |
| Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the outcomes for patients could be transformed by faster detection | Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the outcomes for patients could be transformed by faster detection |
| Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the outcomes for patients could be transformed by faster detection | |
| The first stage of the trial is for people already diagnosed with Barrett's oesophagus and will look at whether the test could replace endoscopies to monitor their condition. | The first stage of the trial is for people already diagnosed with Barrett's oesophagus and will look at whether the test could replace endoscopies to monitor their condition. |
| The second stage of the trial, set for this summer, will recruit 120,000 people aged over 50 on long-term treatment for heartburn. | The second stage of the trial, set for this summer, will recruit 120,000 people aged over 50 on long-term treatment for heartburn. |
| If successful, it could become a national screening programme across the NHS, in the same way mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. | If successful, it could become a national screening programme across the NHS, in the same way mammograms are used to screen for breast cancer. |
| The Early Cancer Institute is based in the University of Cambridge's Hutchison Building on the city's Biomedical Campus | The Early Cancer Institute is based in the University of Cambridge's Hutchison Building on the city's Biomedical Campus |
| The Early Cancer Institute is based in the University of Cambridge's Hutchison Building on the city's Biomedical Campus | |
| The trial builds on decades of research led by Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald, a doctor and researcher at Addenbrooke's and the University of Cambridge's Early Cancer Institute, who helped invent and refine the capsule sponge test. | The trial builds on decades of research led by Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald, a doctor and researcher at Addenbrooke's and the University of Cambridge's Early Cancer Institute, who helped invent and refine the capsule sponge test. |
| Prof Fitzgerald said the device "could halve the number of deaths from oesophageal cancer every year". | Prof Fitzgerald said the device "could halve the number of deaths from oesophageal cancer every year". |
| She said: "Most don't realise there's a problem until they have trouble swallowing. By then it is too late." | She said: "Most don't realise there's a problem until they have trouble swallowing. By then it is too late." |
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| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Cambridge | Cambridge |
| Health | Health |
| University of Cambridge | University of Cambridge |
| Cancer | Cancer |
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