Charity calls for sponge test to be widely available to prevent oesophageal cancer deaths

A test that involves a patient swallowing a pill on a string should be widely available on the NHS in order to prevent cancer deaths, a charity has said.

The capsule sponge test releases a sponge to collect cells from the oesophagus as it is retrieved.

Previously known as cytosponge, it can be used to detect abnormalities that form as part of a condition known as Barrett’s oesophagus, which