• Bolton NHS Foundation Trust highest recruiting site in England for womb cancer study
• 499 people in and around Bolton have taken part in this NIHR Portfolio cancer study
• The MCM5 study aims to develop a urine test to screen for endometrial cancer

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has been named the highest recruiting Trust in the country for an innovative study that uses a urine test to support with the diagnosis of womb cancers.

Research Delivery teams at the Trust have supported 499 people in and around Bolton to take part in the NIHR portfolio trial, called the MCM5-UTERINE study, which focuses on diagnosing endometrial cancer.

The endometrium is the lining of the womb and, according to Cancer Research UK, is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK.

The MCM5 study aims to determine whether looking at a protein found in urine could help diagnose womb cancer, as an additional diagnostic test alongside scans, biopsies and blood tests that are currently available.

‘Improving patient care and treatment options’

In a letter from the NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester addressed to the research team, Professor Martin Gibson, Co-Clinical Director, Professor Andy Ustianowski, Co-Clinical Director, and Sarah Fallon, Chief Operating Officer, wrote:

This is a fantastic achievement that not only raises awareness of the cancer research profile for Bolton but also for Greater Manchester as a whole. Your contribution to this study is very much appreciated, and we congratulate you on this outstanding performance.

“Embedding a research active culture in health and care organisations enables patients to have wider access to clinical research, improving patient care and treatment options.

“There is significant evidence that organisations who are actively involved in research behave differently; they raise intellectual curiosity, are up to date with the latest good practice and, by teaching and training in research, they retain staff and create a positive organisational culture.

The Trust’s Research Delivery team works across the hospital, our community settings and the Bolton locality to support the delivery of important health research.

Alison Loftus, Head of Research and Development at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said:

To be named the highest recruiting Trust in the country for the MCM5 study is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated teams to improve the delivery and quality of care for people in Bolton both now and in the future.

“Womb cancer can often be diagnosed at an advanced stage due to how vague symptoms can be. This study will help us to understand if a urine test can diagnose these cancers much sooner and help improve the lives of women.

To discover more about Research and Development at Bolton NHS Foundation visit, please visit our website.