By: Cristina Visintin, Katherine Payne, Mike Richards, Allan Hackshaw, Sian Taylor-Phillips, Tom Callender, Anne Mackie, Rosalind Given-Wilson, Bethany Shinkins, Chris Hyde, Steve Halligan, Gareth Evans, Sarah Batson, David Thompson
Bethany Shinkins and colleagues outline a consensus set of principles and evidence requirements for evaluating multicancer detection tests in screening programmes to inform UK policyMulticancer detection (MCD) tests, which can identify multiple cancers from a single sample (eg, blood, urine, stool, or imaging), are a potential new approach to cancer screening.12 Several MCD tests are being developed, each at different stages of development and evaluation.345 Notably, in England, the NHS Galleri trial, a randomised controlled trial with 142 000 participants, is evaluating a blood based MCD test in a screening context.6In the UK, the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) makes recommendations to the government regarding whether a new screening programme should be introduced. A topic can enter their horizon scanning process through multiple routes—for example, routine reviews of existing recommendations, the open call for screening proposals,7 or referrals from external bodies.8 The UK NSC then applies a structured evidence review process, progressing from evidence mapping to more detailed evidence summaries.When making recommendations, the UK NSC applies a multicriteria deliberative approach, considering factors such as disease burden, test performance, potential benefits and harms, cost effectiveness, and feasibility of delivery within the health system.9 This framework is designed to ensure that screening programmes deliver net population benefit and represent good value for public investment, while recognising the importance of minimising harms. Once implemented at scale, screening programmes can be difficult to modify or disinvest from,10 making it important to generate robust evidence before implementation.Organised screening programmes are currently in place for a few cancers, including breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer.11 Although MCD tests are available through private purchase in some places, no country has yet implemented MCD tests within an organised screening programme.9 Generating robust …










