A breakthrough blood test for womb cancer has achieved 99 percent accuracy in a major clinical trial — and could spare tens of thousands of women each year from undergoing an uncomfortable and invasive diagnostic procedure.
The PinPoint test, developed by researchers and trialled at hospitals across Yorkshire, England, uses artificial intelligence to analyze markers in the blood and predict a patient's cancer risk. The results, published this week, represent one of the most significant advances in gynaecological cancer detection in years.
Womb cancer — also known as endometrial or uterine cancer — is the fourth most common cancer among women in the United Kingdom, with around 9,700 people diagnosed annually. But the challenge extends well beyond those who actually have the disease. Upwards of 90,000 women in the UK are referred every year for transvaginal ultrasound scans to rule out or detect the condition.
A Smarter Diagnostic Path
Those ultrasound procedures, while valuable, are physically intrusive and can be distressing for patients. The PinPoint test offers a far less invasive alternative: a simple blood draw that the AI system then analyses to assess cancer risk with high precision.
The trial enrolled 16,481 women, including 2,953 with suspected cancer, and found the test achieved a 99 percent accuracy rate at both detecting gynaecological cancers and confirming their absence. That level of reliability is rarely seen in early-stage diagnostic tools.
"High-risk patients could be diagnosed more rapidly, leading to potential earlier-stage diagnosis and a better diagnostic experience," the study authors noted. "Low-risk patients could avoid unnecessary invasive medical testing for cancer. Furthermore, the software can be deployed rapidly without the need for additional hardware."
Reaching Patients Faster
Early diagnosis is the single most important factor in cancer survival rates. Women diagnosed with womb cancer at stage one have a five-year survival rate of over 90 percent. Caught at later stages, that figure drops significantly. A test that can reliably identify high-risk patients and fast-track them to treatment — while clearing low-risk patients without an invasive procedure — has the potential to save lives at both ends of the spectrum.
The practical advantages of the PinPoint approach go beyond individual patient experience. Ultrasound capacity in national health systems is under enormous pressure. Reducing unnecessary referrals would free up diagnostic resources for patients who need them most, reducing waiting times across the board.
What Comes Next
The researchers are clear that further work is needed before the test can be rolled out widely. Additional trials, regulatory review, and integration into clinical pathways will all take time. But the strength of the initial results is drawing considerable attention from oncologists and health policymakers.
The use of AI to detect cancer through blood analysis — sometimes called a "liquid biopsy" approach — has been a rapidly advancing field. Several companies are developing multi-cancer early detection tests that screen for dozens of cancer types simultaneously through a single blood draw. The PinPoint trial adds strong evidence that AI-driven analysis of blood markers can reach clinical-grade reliability for specific cancers.
For the women who currently endure invasive exams only to receive a reassuring all-clear, a simple, accurate blood test would represent a profound improvement in their care. And for those whose cancer is detected earlier thanks to a faster, more accessible pathway — the impact could be lifesaving.
