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Selected pharmacies in London and the East Midlands are to offer 'sponge on a string' cancer tests to help prevent oesophageal cancer in a forthcoming two-year pilot, NHS England has announced. 

Scheduled for launch in early 2026, the pilot will see "dozens" of Boots pharmacies offer on-site tests to around 1,500 patients who pharmacists assess as being frequent users of OTC medicines to treat heartburn or reflux symptoms and who have not yet seen their GP about this.

The test, which is produced by gastrointestinal diagnostics company Cyted Health and is currently used in hospitals, involves patients swallowing a small pill on a thread which expands into a penny-sized sponge when it reaches the stomach. 

After a few minutes, it is pulled out and cells collected from the oesophageal lining to be sent to a lab where they will be assessed for possible pre-cancerous changes. 

The initiative will be accompanied by "locally led" public awareness campaigns highlighting potential signs and symptoms of oesophageal cancer and encouraging patients to have their symptoms checked, said NHSE.

It is hoped the pilot will help more patients be seen without the need for endoscopy and allow those in whom pre-cancerous cells are found to have them removed through radiofrequency ablation.

It is one of seven early cancer detection pilots to receive a share of £15m in funding as part of an open call by the NHS.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS national cancer director said: “The NHS is catching more cancers earlier than ever before, and this new pilot brings a convenient test to where people shop, making it easier than ever for patients to check signs and symptoms that might be worrying them.

“For the majority of people with persistent reflux, these quick and easy heartburn health checks will provide peace of mind that you aren’t at increased risk of cancer, and for those who do find out they have Barret’s oesophagus, regular follow-up checks will be put in place so any further cell changes can be spotted early.”

Jamie Kerruish, Healthcare Director at Boots, said: “We believe that community pharmacy has a vital role to play in the early detection of cancers.

"Our pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals and well-placed to conduct screenings in our stores on the high street, at the heart of communities. 

"We look forward to working closely with Cyted and the NHS to review the results of this important pilot and are ready to roll out this scheme more widely in the future”.