Advanced clinical trial for pancreatic cancer breath test begins recruiting in Wales

The trial site at Wrexham Maelor Hospital is the first of 46 planned UK locations to open outside of England. Now hundreds of people residing in Wales suspected of having the disease will help scientists to confirm whether the breath test, a breathalyser-like device, can detect the disease even in its earliest stages.

Wrexham local and supporter, Louise Dale shared her story to support the site launch after her mum, Carol died from pancreatic cancer 12 weeks after diagnosis. She hopes the test could spare thousands of other families the pain of losing someone like Carol in the future.

The Wrexham Maelor Hospital site is part of a UK-wide clinical trial involving over 6,000 participants with an unknown diagnosis. We believe the test, developed at Imperial College London, “could be the most significant step toward a lifesaving-breakthrough in 50 years” and have invested more than £1.1M into this multi-centre trial.

Professor George Hanna leads the team of Imperial College London scientists, who are hopeful that the test could be used by GPs across the country within the next five years. In an earlier two-year clinical study, they analysed over 700 breath samples from people with and without pancreatic cancer, as well as from those with other conditions affecting the pancreas. Initial findings suggest the test can already detect pancreatic cancer with a high degree of accuracy – even when the disease is at an early stage.

Louise’s mum, Carol, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2024 and died just 12 weeks later, aged 69, 8 days before her 70th Birthday. Carol had issues with indigestion and stomach pain in the year leading to her diagnosis, but it was attributed to stress. Before long, her appetite changed, and she began to lose weight rapidly. These vague symptoms — along with others such as back pain and changes to poo — mean that in 80% of cases, pancreatic cancer goes undetected until after it has spread to other parts of the body. Like Carol, half of people die within just three months of their diagnosis, making it the deadliest common cancer.

Carol was sent for several tests which all came back inconclusive. Eventually, an ultrasound led to a CT scan referral, but it was booked three weeks later. In severe pain, Carol couldn’t wait —her family paid for a private CT scan, which revealed pancreatic cancer. Carol remained hopeful she’d be able to tolerate chemotherapy to gain more time with her loved ones. She managed one round but became too unwell to continue. Carol passed away on 30th June 2024, aged 69.

Louise said: “Losing my mum so quickly to pancreatic cancer changed our family forever. As someone from Wrexham who knows how devastating the disease is, it means so much to know our community is helping to improve the future for other families who face it.”

Around 529 people in Wales are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and no screening or early detection tests currently exist to help doctors. GPs who suspect pancreatic cancer can request imaging tests or refer patients to the hospital for further investigations. However, the disease’s vague symptoms mean it’s extremely challenging for healthcare professionals to decide who should be referred for further investigation, who can be monitored or reassured. In future, simply breathing into a bag at a GP appointment could be the vital first step in getting more people diagnosed in time for surgery, currently the only potential cure for pancreatic cancer.

Louise said: “Earlier diagnosis will give more people the chance to receive treatment and, most importantly, more precious time feeling well with the people they love…time that families like ours know is incredibly valuable.”

The breath test works by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath. Thousands of these compounds travel around the bloodstream, are filtered out when the blood reaches the lungs, and then exhaled. Patients with cancer produce different types of compounds, and these changes are detectable in the breath, even at the early stages of disease. Isolating unique combinations of VOCs should enable doctors to quickly identify the people likely to have pancreatic cancer who need to be triaged for urgent investigation.

The test is designed to be accurate, non-invasive, and usable in a GP surgery or pharmacy, and could have a significant impact by streamlining referral pathways while remaining cost-effective for the NHS. Breath samples can be taken in as little as 30 seconds, and scientists believe it could be possible to provide GPs with the test results within just three days. This would enable patients most at risk to be referred quickly for scans to diagnose or rule-out pancreatic cancer.

Diana Jupp, CEO of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said: “The breath test has the potential to revolutionise the early detection of pancreatic cancer, and it is hugely exciting to see this vital clinical trial expand into Wales.

“While more years of development are still needed, local patients with an unknown diagnosis will now help refine the breath test in the real world. They will take us ever closer to a future in which simply blowing into a bag at a GP surgery could help save thousands of people every year from the deadliest common cancer.

“Clinical trials of this scale for pancreatic cancer are far too rare in the UK. If the Government is to drive up survival rates for the disease to be among the best in Europe, then the adoption of innovative technologies like the breath test must be fully supported, so they are available to the NHS as quickly as possible. Finding this devastating disease early gives people the very best chance of lifesaving treatment.”

Professor George Hanna’s ultimate aim is to develop a pan-cancer breath test, which could be used to detect and distinguish between several different gastrointestinal cancers, increasing the likelihood of adoption by healthcare systems around the world. Early work has shown it is possible to identify unique combinations of breath VOCs for oesophageal, gastric, liver and colorectal cancer as well as pancreatic cancer.

Professor George Hanna, Head of the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London, said: “Opening our first trial site outside of England is a significant milestone for this project. This crucial study is now well underway, and we look forward to seeing how the breath test performs in patients with suspected cancer. If our findings from the initial phase can be validated in participants with an unknown diagnosis, the breath test has huge potential to influence clinical practice and improve pancreatic cancer diagnosis.”

Duncan Stewart, Consultant Surgeon at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: “We are proud that our research facility in Wrexham is the first site outside England to take part in this landmark study. Through this research, patients from North Wales will play a vital role in helping to evaluate an innovative breath test which has the potential to support earlier diagnosis in the future. While further research is needed, this study represents an exciting step forward and highlights the importance of clinical research in bringing new diagnostic technologies closer to patients.

“We are grateful to everyone who chooses to take part in the trial and help us improve outcomes for future generations.”