A UK population-based case-control study of blood tests before cancer diagnosis in patients with non-specific abdominal symptoms
Menée en Grande Bretagne à partir de données de la "UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink" et du registre national des cancers portant sur 10 575 patients atteints d'un cancer et sur 52 875 témoins, cette étude examine l'association entre le taux de résultats anormaux de tests sanguins courants réalisés chez les patients présentant des symptômes abdominaux non spécifiques et le diagnostic ultérieur de cancer
Background : Abnormal results in commonly used primary care blood tests could be early markers of cancer in patients presenting with non-specific abdominal symptoms.
Methods : Using linked data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and national cancer registry we compared blood test use and abnormal results from the 24-months pre-diagnosis in 10,575 cancer patients (any site), and 52,875 matched-controls aged ≥30 presenting, with abdominal pain or bloating to primary care.
Results : Cancer patients had two-fold increased odds of having a blood test (odds ratio(OR):1.51–2.29) and 2-3-fold increased odds of having an abnormal blood test result (OR:2.42–3.30) in the year pre-diagnosis compared to controls. Raised inflammatory markers were the most common abnormality (74–79% of tested cases). Rates of blood test use and abnormal results progressively increased from 7 months pre-diagnosis in cancer patients, with relatively small corresponding increases in symptomatic controls. In cancer patients, the largest increases from baseline were raised platelets in males with abdominal pain (increased 33-fold), raised white blood cell count in males with abdominal bloating (increased 37-fold) and low albumin in females with either symptom (increased 22–41 fold).
Conclusions : Common blood test abnormalities are early signals of cancer in some individuals with non-specific abdominal symptoms and could support expedited cancer diagnosis.
British Journal of Cancer , article en libre accès, 2025