It comes after University of Otago biochemistry researcher Prof Parry Guilford received a $1,198,927 grant in the latest round of funding from the Health Research Council (HRC).
Each month, about 2500 New Zealanders undergo a colonoscopy because of symptoms of colorectal (bowel) cancer.
However, Health New Zealand’s colonoscopy capacity is highly stretched, resulting in long delays for most people.
Prof Guilford said for the 2% of people with colorectal cancer, these delays could significantly compromise their chances of surviving the disease.
So the research team had developed a prototype blood test which would be able to identify the people on the waiting lists who were most likely to have cancer and require an urgent colonoscopy and prompt treatment.
"The project is really advanced, but we need to get it out and start to use this new test we’ve developed in clinical studies.
"The funding is fantastic — it’s certainly a game changer for us.
"It will enable us to get on and do that work."
He said the research team hoped to start using the blood test in Otago and Southland within the next few months.
"What we’re going to do is to get people who are on a waiting list for colonoscopy and we’ll test those people, and if they are positive, we’ll be able to get them right up to the top of the list and get them to have a colonoscopy really rapidly, at the expense of our study."
"We’re going to do surveys on these people as well, so we can really understand the barriers to the test, what makes it hard to have a test, or what they like about the test.
"We’re going to be learning not only about the test’s performance, but also about maximising the accessibility of the test for people."
Prof Parry said those whose blood test came back negative would remain on the waiting list.
"By doing it that way, it’s very safe. No-one is going to be any worse off by taking our test.
"If the test is not perfect and we miss cases, those people will be no worse off — they’ll still get their colonoscopy as per the normal standard practice."
Ultimately, the researchers anticipated the test would be able to be used as an alternative to colonoscopy for many people, resulting in cost savings and reduced waiting lists.
Prof Parry said without the HRC funding, the research testing would not be possible.
Other recipients
Prof Mark Richards, Christchurch Heart Institute ($4,998,662); Dr Allamanda Faatoese, Christchurch Heart Institute ($1,199,108); Dr Anna Pilbrow, department of medicine, Christchurch ($1,199,762); Dr Campbell Le Heron, department of medicine, Christchurch ($1,199,972); Dr Euan Rodger, department of pathology and molecular medicine, Dunedin ($1,199, 979); Dr Janice Chew-Harris, department of medicine, Christchurch ($1,200,000); Dr Magda Ratajska, Medical Laboratory Science, and Dr Vanessa Lau, department of pathology and molecular medicine, Christchurch ($1,200,000); Dr Matthew McNeil, department of microbiology and immunology, Dunedin ($1,199,888); Mau Te Rangimarie Clark, department of psychological medicine, Christchurch ($1,199,994); Associate Prof Paula Toko King, department of public health, Wellington ($1,199,999); Prof Peter Mace, department of biochemistry, Dunedin ($1,199,958); Dr Rachel Purcell, department of surgery and critical care, Christchurch ($1,200,000); Dr Rachelle Martin, department of medicine, Wellington ($1,199,775); Associate Prof Ramakrishnan Mani, School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin ($1,439,534); and Dr Sue McAllister, Centre for International Health, Dunedin ($1,198,720).
