New iPhone device to help rule out throat cancer

Thousands of patients could receive the all-clear for suspected throat cancer faster, thanks to a new iPhone device and app being piloted by the NHS.

The innovative adapter providing a 32mm lens and accompanying app can turn an iPhone into a portable diagnostic gadget used by nurses to detect or rule out throat cancer.

The device captures live endoscopy examinations of the throat in high definition (HD), which can then be instantly shared with specialist head and neck consultants via a secure data cloud.

A consultant then reviews the video footage and can rapidly detect any traces of cancer reporting this back directly to the patient.

With the technology being rolled out across the West Midlands initially, the “pioneering” gadget could be used in any NHS setting, helping to freeing up time and resources in hospitals for cancer patients and reduce waiting times for treatment.

In future it could be used in diagnostic centres and in community settings, meaning people can get tested closer to home and reducing the need for patients to go to hospital.

An initial trial on triaged low-risk patients at North Midlands University Hospitals NHS Trust found that no cancers were missed using this device with patients receiving their results within 23 hours of the test taking place.

So far, over 1,800 patients have been reassured they do not have a cancer of the throat within just a few days, while healthcare professionals have been able to focus their resources on the smaller numbers who have a confirmed cancer diagnosis. 

The vast majority of patients identified at low-risk who have been examined using the device had cancer ruled out, although around one in a hundred of this low-risk group were discovered to have cancer using the gadget.

Dr Cally Palmer, NHS England National Cancer Director, said: “Detecting cancer early is key to providing treatment as soon as possible to help give patients the best chance of survival. For those needing tests to investigate suspected cancer, it can be an extremely worrying time and being able to rule out the disease sooner can make a huge difference for people and their families.

“While staff have been working hard to see and treat more people with cancer than ever before, we know that some people are still waiting too long to receive a diagnosis or the all-clear. The NHS continues to adopt the latest technologies with the potential to benefit patients, and through pioneering new innovations like this iPhone device which could be used in any setting, we hope we'll be able to detect many more cancers sooner and in ways that are more convenient and less invasive for patients.”

Minister of State for Health, Karin Smyth said: “This new technology is a shining example of how innovation and research can tackle waiting lists, improve patient experience and speed up diagnosis.

“Using the app, patients can access a potentially lifesaving consultation. By catching cancer earlier and treating it faster, we can ensure more people survive this horrible disease.

“Harnessing technology to support the NHS is a key part of our 10-Year Health Plan, and will shift the NHS from analogue to digital, equipping the health service with more cutting edge-technologies to catch cancers on time.”

Since the pandemic there has been an increase in patients urgently referred to be tested for cancer but no increase in overall cancer numbers diagnosed.

With many NHS trusts struggling to keep up with the demand this device has the potential to reduce waiting times and give large number of patients peace of mind over suspected cancer.

Head and neck cancers are difficult to detect early so improving access to diagnostics for those small numbers of patients that do have cancer will result in more successful outcomes and an overall cost benefit to the NHS.

In the UK there are approximately 250,000 urgent referrals for suspected head and neck cancer each year, with only 5% of these (12,500 patients) have being diagnosed with cancer.

Overall, five-year survival rates for laryngeal cancer are about 65%, with around 55 out of every 100 people living for 10 years or more after diagnosis. Laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers found at an early stage have a much improved 80-90% five years survival.

The device has been developed by West Midlands based medical technology company Endoscope-i Ltd, which is one of 14 projects to receive a share of £25m as part of the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.

Other innovations that have been piloted as part of the programme include a sponge that can be used to detect oesophageal cancer and a home-testing kit for people who have a genetic disposition to a fault in the gene that causes some types of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

To date more than 130,000 patients have benefited from these innovative treatments that look to improve early diagnosis of cancer.

The NHS is working closely with the government on developing a 10-Year Health Plan which will see more innovations and technology like this to improve care for patients and make the delivery of healthcare more efficient for generations to come – moving us from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention.

Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts have been invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the Change NHS online platform, which will be live until the start of next year, and available via the NHS App.  

Ajith George, consultant head and neck surgeon at University Hospitals North Midlands NHS Trust, said: “The new pathway has given the rapid cancer referral service the radical change it has long needed. These types of referrals are increasing exponentially whilst cancer diagnosis rates are not. Streamlining services helps keeps the focus on those unfortunate patients who get a cancer diagnosis.”

Janet Hennessy, 76, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: “I think the app is absolutely brilliant. When you have a procedure done and you've got to go back home and wait two or three weeks, even if you think there's nothing there, you're still thinking about it and it worries you and your family.

“The care from University Hospitals North Midlands has been faultless. The staff are so friendly, professional, and kind.”

The latest figures show that the NHS has met the faster cancer diagnosis standard for the fourth month in a row with more than three quarters of people getting the all-clear or a definitive diagnosis within four weeks. Almost 200,000 people were seen within the standard with over 220,000 (195,991) getting all clear or a diagnosis within 28 days.

Every month this year so far has seen over 250,000 people receive urgent cancer checks.

While more needs to be done to ensure that patients receive timely cancer treatment with continued challenges meeting the 62 day standard, there were 53,226 cancer treatments carried out by staff in August.