A "sponge on a string" is revolutionising the way cancer is detected in patients. In the past many people would have had to undergo an endoscopy, where a camera it put inside their body via a tube.
But now scientists have come up with a new way of checking out if someone may have cancer - using a small sponge attached to a piece of string. Raymond Berry was one of the first patients to benefit from the service at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough where it is being used to detect and monitor oesophageal conditions such as Barrett’s cancer.
The new Cytosponge is a small capsule which is attached to a string. Patients like Raymond are asked to swallow it while the nurse keeps a hold of the string.
