GALEAS Bladder urine test detects over 90% of bladder cancers

A new home-based urine test, GALEAS Bladder, has demonstrated a 92.2% sensitivity rate in detecting bladder cancer during a study involving nearly 1,000 patients. The research, conducted by the University of Birmingham and the diagnostic company Nonacus, was carried out across seven urology departments within the UK's National Health Service (NHS).

The test works by screening for over 450 DNA mutations across 23 genes associated with bladder cancer tumors. While it is not intended to replace invasive procedures like cystoscopy, researchers suggest it could significantly improve patient triage. By identifying high-risk individuals more quickly, the test could help avoid hundreds of unnecessary cystoscopies for every 1,000 patients evaluated.

The study findings were published in the journal European Urology Oncology. In the trial, only approximately 8% of the 964 patients evaluated were ultimately diagnosed with bladder cancer, highlighting the test's potential to streamline diagnostic pathways and reduce the burden on urology services.