First results announced from trial of blood test for cancer
01 June 2026
Publish date: 06 May 2026
Paramedics in London are to begin using a rapid finger‑prick blood test designed to get stroke patients to the right hospital faster, potentially saving lives and reducing long‑term disability.
Dr Robert Simister, a consultant neurologist at UCLH who is leading the pilot, said the approach could transform early stroke care.
“It’s an exciting time in pre‑hospital stroke care,” he said, adding that faster decisions could prevent patients being taken to “the wrong hospital”.
The £100 test, which takes around ten minutes, helps identify whether a patient is likely to benefit from a mechanical thrombectomy – a specialist procedure that removes blood clots from the brain. Patients who test positive can be taken directly to one of the limited number of hospitals equipped to perform the treatment.
The London Ambulance Service will pilot the test in 280 ambulances over the next six months, with paramedics carrying out the checks while patients are on the way to hospital.
Thrombectomy is most effective when carried out within six hours of a severe stroke, but many hospitals in England currently cannot offer the procedure. Delays in diagnosis and transfer mean many patients miss the treatment window so quicker triage could make a critical difference.
The test, known as LVOne, measures biomarkers in the blood linked to clot formation and brain bleeds. It has shown around 95 percent accuracy in early studies.
If successful, the pilot could help expand the use of thrombectomy and improve outcomes for thousands of stroke patients each year.
