Several NHS hospitals are preparing to use an AI-powered blood test that could help assess women referred for possible womb cancer before they undergo invasive checks. The test, developed by Leeds-based PinPoint Data Science, uses machine learning to analyse blood markers and classify patients as low, elevated, or high risk.
How the PinPoint AI blood test works for womb cancer
The test works by analysing around 30 markers in a patient's blood sample. According to The Guardian, the test costs around £30 and gives clinicians a risk score that can be used within existing cancer referral pathways. This means doctors can quickly identify which women need further investigation and which can be safely monitored without invasive procedures.
Thousands of women could avoid painful examinations
Around 90,000 postmenopausal women in England are referred by their GP each year to be investigated for possible womb cancer because of heavy bleeding. According to Femtech World, the AI blood test could spare thousands of these women a painful examination for suspected womb cancer. About 10,000 women are diagnosed with womb cancer annually, and around 2,700 die from the disease.
What this means for women's health
The PinPoint test is designed to be a non-invasive alternative to current diagnostic methods, which often involve uncomfortable procedures like biopsies or hysteroscopies. By using a simple blood test, the NHS could reduce the number of women who undergo unnecessary invasive checks while still catching cancer cases early.
Our Take: A step forward for early detection
In our view, this AI blood test represents a practical and much-needed improvement in how womb cancer is diagnosed. The current system puts thousands of women through painful procedures each year, many of whom turn out not to have cancer. A £30 blood test that can accurately sort patients into risk categories could save the NHS money, reduce patient anxiety, and free up resources for those who truly need them. The key will be ensuring the test is accurate enough to avoid false negatives — but if the trials prove successful, this could become a standard part of cancer screening in the UK.
