Researchers at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) have developed a new blood test that could transform how cancer is detected and monitored.
The study, published in Applied Spectroscopy and carried out with Keele University, Loughborough University and other UK partners, demonstrates for the first time that Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy can identify a single cancer cell in a patient’s bloodstream.
These circulating tumour cells (CTCs) break away from a primary tumour and travel through the bloodstream, offering critical insights into how a cancer is progressing and how well treatment is working. They are also responsible for the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.
Current methods for detecting CTCs are costly, complex, and labor-intensive. They can also miss cancer cells if their characteristics change while circulating in the body.
The UHNM team’s method is simpler, cheaper and compatible with standard glass slides already used in pathology labs, making it easier to adopt in routine clinical settings.
The technique was tested on a blood sample from a 77-year-old lung cancer patient. Using advanced scanning technology and computer-based analysis, researchers were able to locate a single cancer cell among thousands of healthy blood cells. The finding was independently validated through specialist testing.
Professor Josep Sulé-Suso, associate specialist in oncology at UHNM and lead author of the study, said the breakthrough could allow clinicians to monitor cancer in real time using a basic blood test.
“Our team detected a single lung cancer cell by combining high-resolution infrared scanning with computer analysis, focusing on the chemical fingerprint unique to cancer cells,” he said. “The technology uses an infrared beam similar to that of a TV remote, but far more powerful. This approach could support earlier diagnoses, personalised treatment plans and fewer invasive procedures, and it may eventually apply to many other cancers.”
Researchers will now test the technique in larger patient groups, with the goal of developing a rapid, automated blood test that could be integrated into NHS cancer care.
The project received support from UHNM Charity, the North Staffordshire Medical Institute, Keele University, Loughborough University and international research partners.
Lisa Thomson, director of UHNM Charity, said the organisation is committed to funding research and technology that improves patient care. “By investing in innovation, we are helping clinicians deliver faster diagnoses and better treatments today, while driving the breakthroughs that will shape tomorrow’s healthcare,” she said.
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