PinPoint test shows 99% accuracy in womb cancer detection across 16,000-patient trial, with several NHS trusts now planning wider rollout
A new AI-powered blood test is being introduced by NHS hospitals following a large-scale trial showing it could accurately identify which women referred for suspected womb cancer do not need to undergo further invasive diagnostic procedures.
The PinPoint test, developed by Leeds-based firm PinPoint Data Science, analyses 30 blood markers using machine learning to assess whether a patient is at low, elevated, or high risk of cancer. Results from a trial involving 16,481 patients show the test achieved 99 percent accuracy in both detecting and ruling out gynaecological cancers.
The Scale of the Problem
Around 90,000 postmenopausal women are referred by their GP each year in England to be investigated for possible womb cancer — also known as uterine or endometrial cancer — following episodes of significant bleeding.
Approximately 10,000 women are diagnosed with the disease annually in England, and around 2,700 die from it each year.
Under the current NHS diagnostic pathway, all women referred with concerning symptoms undergo a transvaginal ultrasound scan — a pelvic examination measuring the thickness of the womb lining. Many women find this procedure uncomfortable or painful. If cancer remains suspected following the scan, further investigations including a tissue biopsy and a procedure called a hysteroscopy may follow.
The significant issue the PinPoint test addresses is that around 20 percent of women referred — approximately 18,000 per year — ultimately turn out not to have cancer, yet currently undergo these invasive procedures as part of the standard diagnostic process.
What the Trial Found
The trial involved patients referred by GPs at 170 practices across Yorkshire for nine different forms of cancer. Of the total trial population, 3,313 women were referred specifically because bleeding raised concern about possible womb cancer.
Key findings from the trial:
- 99 percent accuracy in detecting gynaecological cancers within the trial group
- 99 percent accuracy in ruling out cancer among those who did not have the disease
- The test’s accuracy rate exceeded that of conventional diagnostic testing
- Approximately one in ten of those referred due to heavy bleeding was ultimately found to have cancer
These results have prompted two NHS trusts to plan wider adoption. Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust intends to use the test across six types of gynaecological cancer and upper gastrointestinal cancer. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will implement it for gynaecological cancers.
How the Technology Works
PinPoint Data Science applies statistical machine learning to medical blood data, analysing 30 separate blood markers to generate a risk classification — low, elevated, or high — for individual patients.
The firm was founded by specialists in statistical analysis of medical data and its chief medical officer is Professor Sean Duffy, a former NHS England national clinical director for cancer.
Professor Duffy described the 99 percent accuracy rate for womb cancer as remarkable by any clinical standards, adding that the test’s particular value lies in its ability to safely rule out very low-risk women — sparing thousands of patients from painful procedures they do not need.
Clinical Perspectives
Healthcare professionals involved in the trial highlighted two specific benefits beyond individual patient experience.
Dr Jacinta Walsh, a GP at King’s Medical Practice in Normanton, West Yorkshire, noted that ruling out cancer currently often requires up to six GP visits. She said the PinPoint test has the potential to shorten that process significantly, delivering earlier reassurance for patients while freeing GP capacity for other cases.
Tracy Jackson, a consultant gynaecologist and cancer unit lead at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, acknowledged that the reality of gynaecological cancer investigation is that most women seen do not have cancer, and that the investigations can be uncomfortable and distressing for some. She described the test as a way to triage more intelligently — reducing unnecessary invasive procedures, shortening waiting lists, and ensuring women who do have cancer are seen and treated earlier.
What Cancer Research UK Says
Cancer Research UK described the PinPoint test as promising, with spokesperson Samantha Harrison noting that spotting cancer early saves lives but that patients are not currently being diagnosed quickly enough. She said the test could help rule out endometrial cancer through a simple blood test without further investigation, while also noting that more research is needed to fully understand the benefits for patients and the NHS.
The charity’s measured endorsement is significant — Cancer Research UK typically applies rigorous scrutiny to emerging diagnostic technologies before offering commentary, and its positive assessment adds meaningful credibility to the trial results.
Why This Matters for London
London’s NHS services manage a significant volume of the cancer referrals processed across England each year, given the capital’s population size and density. Diagnostic waiting times and procedure backlogs have been a persistent pressure across London’s gynaecological cancer services, as they have nationally.
A blood test capable of accurately ruling out womb cancer at GP level — before hospital referral or invasive investigation — would have a direct impact on NHS capacity across London, reducing unnecessary referrals into already stretched hospital services while improving patient experience for the substantial proportion of referred women who do not ultimately have cancer.
For context on how London’s cancer services more broadly are responding to patient need, see earlier reporting on more than half of London cancer patients struggling to access everyday support.
