When Against Breast Cancer launched ABC Discover in 2019, at the University of Southampton, our goal was to identify molecular biomarkers and diet and lifestyle factors that are associated with risk of secondary breast cancer.
Using clinical information from 20,000 cancer patients, our research scientists have developed an early cancer detection test called miONCO. With 99% accuracy and high sensitivity – miONCO outperforms similar tests – as well as having the ability to detect 11 other most common forms of cancer including Prostate, Ovarian and Pancreatic cancer at early stages.
Described by Health Secretary Wes Streeting – himself a cancer survivor – as a “game changer” miONCO recently received £2.5 million of additional funding via the National Institute for Health and Care Research to further improve the test, making it faster and cheaper.
Looking to the future, expanded screening with greater accuracy
Led by Professor Paul Skipp at the University of Southampton, miONCO uses a form of the PCR test perfected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Requiring approximately 10-15 drops of blood and expecting to cost just £120 per test, it opens the door to NHS population cancer screening which could transform survival rates, saving thousands of lives a year.
It is hoped this additional funding, made to the start-up company Xgenera, will lead towards the creation of an NHS test.
The miONCO test supported through the Against Breast Cancer Discover programme, could transform the landscape of cancer detection. This innovative test is designed to identify the presence of breast cancer and other cancers at early stage, where treatment options can be more effective. If successful, the miONCO test could indeed be a game-changer offering hope to countless individuals and families affected by cancer
Professor Paul Skipp, University of Southampton
Prof Skipp added: “The UK spends £800million a year screening for four cancers (breast, bowel, cervical and lung cancer), and an additional £91million is spent on false positive follow-ups.” He added a test with low false positives (where patients are incorrectly told they have cancer) would lead to a better procedure for cancer screening, ultimately boosting many patients’ survival chances.
Against Breast Cancer Chair of Trustees, Richard Bahu said “We are immensely proud to have played a pivotal role in funding the ground-breaking research behind miONCO, a revolutionary new blood test that has the potential to change the future of cancer detection. Originally designed to detect breast cancer, this cutting-edge test has evolved to identify 12 of the most common and deadly cancers before symptoms even appear, offering hope to millions of people who may benefit from earlier diagnosis and treatment. We are a charity punching above our weight in focusing our supporters funding on research which is at the leading edge of fighting cancer and that has resulted in the most significant advance on early stage diagnostic testing”
Dr Andy Shapanis, Xgenera CEO and previously a member of the Against Breast Cancer research team, was one of the guest speakers at our first ABC Research Conference held earlier this year at Oriel College in Oxford.
To learn more about miONCO, you can watch his presentation below:
The goal of Against Breast Cancer is to fund ground-breaking cancer research to improve detection, treatment and increase survival after breast cancer diagnosis. The focus of our research is preventing secondary spread, the main cause of breast cancer related deaths. Life-saving innovations such as miONCO and our continued commitment to funding projects that can transform lives have only been made possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters.