Blood in your urine: what the new bladder cancer urine test study shows

Reviewed and approved by Mr Daniel Swallow, Consultant Urologist (GMC 6128674). Published 15 October 2026.

What the headlines say

Reports in early September said a urine test can pick up “more than nine in ten” bladder cancers in people sent to hospital because they had blood in their urine. The story comes from a University of Birmingham press release dated 2 September 2026, and was covered by NHS-facing news sites including Pulse and The Pharmacist.

What the study actually found

The study followed 964 people who were referred urgently to seven NHS urology departments with blood in their urine, between October 2024 and June 2025. Each person gave a urine sample for a test called GALEAS Bladder, which looks for DNA changes linked to bladder cancer, and then had the usual investigations, including a camera test of the bladder (cystoscopy).

Bladder cancer was found in 77 of the 964 people, about 8%. The urine test picked up 71 of those 77 cancers (92%), including all 17 of the cancers that had grown into the bladder muscle and 35 of the 36 high-grade cancers. Among people with a negative test result, more than 99 in 100 did not have bladder cancer. The test was about 92% specific, which means roughly 8 in 100 people without cancer would still get a positive result.

The researchers estimate that using the test to help decide who needs a camera test first could mean 730 fewer urgent camera tests for every 1,000 patients. That figure comes from computer modelling at the most cautious setting, not from measuring what happened to patients. The test is meant to help doctors decide who is seen first. It does not replace the camera test, and a positive result still needs one.

Things to bear in mind: the study was paid for by Nonacus, the company that makes the test, and one of the authors works for the company. Only 17 of the cancers had grown into the muscle and 36 were high-grade, so those figures rest on small numbers. Six cancers were missed. The study was observational, and it did not look at long-term outcomes or cost.

What it means for you

This is a promising step towards speeding up the investigation of blood in the urine, but it does not change what you should do. If you see blood in your urine you still need to be assessed. Most people with blood in the urine do not have bladder cancer: in this study about 92 in 100 did not. The test is already used in some NHS pathways in England and Wales, but whether you are offered it depends on where you are seen, and it does not replace the camera test or other tests your doctor advises.

When to see a doctor

See your GP promptly if you notice blood in your urine, even once and even if it clears up. Blood can look pink, red or brown. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111. Seek urgent help the same day if you cannot pass urine at all or have severe loin pain with a fever.