CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

The BEST4 Screening trial, co-funded by NIHR and Cancer Research UK, aims to determine if the capsule sponge test can be used as a new screening program for oesophageal cancer. The test, which takes 10 minutes and is less expensive than endoscopy, could reduce cancer treatments and deaths. Over three years, 120,000 heartburn medication users will be recruited across England. The trial is a culmination of previous successful trials and pilot programs, potentially transforming oesophageal cancer screening in the UK.

The BEST4 trial, testing Medtronics' Cytosponge-TFF3 capsule sponge for Barrett's oesophagus screening, has enrolled its first patients. The trial aims to recruit 120,000 heartburn medication users over three years, with mobile vans conducting the 10-minute tests across England. The sponge collects oesophageal cells for TFF3 and altered p53 protein testing, potentially identifying oesophageal cancer. The study is led by Cambridge University Hospitals and the University of Cambridge, with Cancer Research UK funding.

The BEST4 Screening trial tests a 'pill-on-a-thread' for Barrett’s oesophagus, a precursor to oesophageal cancer, aiming to reduce cancer treatments and deaths. Over three years, 120,000 heartburn medication users will be recruited in England via text message invitations. The capsule sponge test, developed by Cambridge University and Cancer Research UK, is faster, less invasive, and cheaper than endoscopy. The trial, backed by £6.4 million, seeks to prove the test's viability for nationwide screening.

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