An AI-powered blood test is being rolled out across several NHS hospitals in England that could spare thousands of women from invasive womb cancer checks each year. Developed by Leeds-based PinPoint Data Science, the test uses machine learning to analyse around 30 blood markers and classify patients as low, elevated, or high risk — all from a simple blood sample costing about £30.
The technology matters for Irish readers because the HSE often follows NHS clinical evidence, and similar tools could eventually make their way into Irish hospitals. For now, the test is already being used across gynaecological, lung, and gastrointestinal cancer pathways in England, with results that suggest it could reduce unnecessary procedures.
How the PinPoint Test Works
The test, called PinPoint, uses a machine learning algorithm trained on thousands of patient samples to assess cancer risk from blood markers. It produces a risk score that clinicians can use within existing referral pathways. A score of low risk means a patient can be monitored in primary care. Elevated or high risk flags them for faster investigation.
In a trial involving 16,481 patients referred through urgent suspected cancer pathways in Yorkshire, the test correctly identified 99.1% of cancers as elevated or high risk. It delivered a negative predictive value of 99.8% — meaning that of the women classified as low risk, fewer than one in 500 actually had cancer.
What This Means for Patients
The current diagnostic pathway for suspected womb cancer typically involves a transvaginal ultrasound scan, where a probe is inserted to measure the thickness of the womb lining. Many women find this uncomfortable. If cancer is still suspected, patients can then need a biopsy or hysteroscopy — an examination of the inside of the womb.
PinPoint estimates that using its test could spare about one in five referred women from needing a transvaginal ultrasound. In England, that would amount to roughly 18,000 women per year. Dr Jacinta Walsh, a GP in West Yorkshire, said patients sometimes require up to six GP visits before cancer is either diagnosed or ruled out. The blood test could shorten that process significantly.
The Broader NHS AI Picture
The PinPoint test is part of a wider push to deploy AI across the NHS. Other recent initiatives include MEMORI, an AI system at Kent and Canterbury Hospital that assesses infection risk from routine patient data, and AI-powered chest X-ray tools for lung cancer detection. The UK government has committed £20 million to roll out AI chest X-ray tools to all NHS trusts in England by 2029 — they are already in about half of trusts and have supported assessment for over four million patients.
An AI triage tool in the NHS App is also expected to reach more than 200,000 patients within 12 months and become available to all NHS App users by April 2028.
What Irish Businesses and Patients Should Watch
For Irish small business owners — particularly those in healthcare, lab services, or medical technology — the NHS rollout signals a growing market for AI diagnostic tools. The HSE has already shown interest in AI-assisted diagnostics, and suppliers who understand the Irish regulatory environment will be well positioned as these technologies cross the Irish Sea.
For patients, the message is cautiously optimistic. Cancer Research UK described the PinPoint test as promising but said more research is needed to understand its full benefits. Early detection saves lives, and tests like this could help identify cancer sooner while sparing patients unnecessary distress. If the data holds up in larger studies, it is a matter of time before similar conversations begin in Dublin.