Breakthrough in the war on cancer; UNIVERSITY: Scientists close to a quicker diagnosis for killer liver condition.

Byline: By Alison Dayani HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

SCIENTISTS at Birmingham University are close to "breaking the code" for a liver cancer test.

Researchers at the Edgbaston-based faculty are developing the blood test that will help diagnose liver cancer much quicker and save lives.

Laboratory work so far shows the test has the potential to reveal liver cancer in high risk patients before symptoms even show up.

Prof Philip Johnson, a lead researcher based in the university's Cancer Research UK Institute for Cancer Studies, said: "We've shown that the right combination of technology and computer analysis can 'break the code' of liver cancer and distinguish people with early liver cancer from those without the disease. Our method was more accurate than the existing liver cancer blood test.

"However, this is only the first step on a long road towards a test that can be reliably used for the many people at risk of developing primary liver cancer.

"We want to improve the technology to make the test even more accurate. The work to date shows that our test has the potential to reveal liver cancer before symptoms show up."

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and has claimed the lives of millions including Cilla Black's husband Bobby in 1999.

High risk groups, such as people with cirrhosis of the liver, can be monitored currently, but tests are not sensitive enough to detect the disease early.

CAPTION(S):

PIONEERING...Birmingham University and (inset) Cilla Black and liver cancer victim Bobby.