€25 test can spot bowel cancer earlier

Irish scientists have developed a €25 bowel cancer blood test kit that can spot the potentially lethal disease at an early stage.

Bowel cancer is Ireland’s second biggest cancer killer and this test has the potential to save hundreds of lives by spotting the disease at the earliest possible opportunity. The test picks up on antibodies in the blood, produced as the body reacts to the onset of bowel cancer.

The collaboration between researchers from the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute at Dublin City University and Donegal biotech firm Randox Teoranta, has been described as a significant breakthrough and could be available for use by the end of next year.