Major trial of sponge test aims to prevent oesophageal cancer deaths

Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald shows off her invention, the capsule sponge test (University of Cambridge/PA) - (University of Cambridge)

A major trial to determine if an innovative 10-minute sponge test should be used to screen people with heartburn for oesophageal cancer has welcomed its first patients.

The capsule sponge test involves patients swallowing a dissolvable pill on a string, which releases a sponge the size of a 50p coin to collect cells from the oesophagus as it is retrieved.