Pioneering research study to improve care of heartburn and tackle cancer goes live in Wirral
Monday, 2 February 2026
Heartburn Health, a national research programme to find ways to improve care for people with heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux, has launched in Wirral and is looking for volunteers with these symptoms aged 55-79 to take part.
Supported by the NHS and Cancer Research UK, Heartburn Health is creating a community of at least 120,000 people who experience heartburn, indigestion or acid reflux. Taking part will help create a dedicated national bioresource on heartburn and acid reflux that will speed up research that aims to improve care, manage symptoms and improve the overall health and wellbeing of people with these symptoms.
The Heartburn Health research team is asking men aged 55 to 79 and women aged 65 to 79 who have acid reflux, indigestion or heartburn or take medication for these symptoms, to spare a few minutes to self- enrol now, through the Heartburn Health website.
Volunteers who enrol into Heartburn Health may also have the opportunity to take part in the BEST4 Screening Trial, which is looking to find out if a new ‘pill-on-a-thread’ test could be used to screen people with heartburn for Barrett’s oesophagus – a condition that can lead to oesophageal cancer. BEST4 aims to detect more serious conditions or diseases including cancer early on, when they are easier to treat. BEST4 mobile vans will be visiting Tesco Extra in Bidston and Tranmere Rovers FC in February and March.
The research programme is being supported by Royal Liverpool University NHS Foundation Trust and is open to residents to self-enrol now. It only takes minutes to sign up to Heartburn Health and by doing so, participants will represent Wirral by being part of a unique UK-wide research programme to transform care for people with heartburn.
Heartburn is extremely common, affecting up to 25% of adults in the UK according to Guts UK*. It is estimated that around 1 in 10 people with persistent heartburn will develop Barrett’s Oesophagus, and between 3 and 13 in 100 of those will go on to develop oesophageal cancer – where cells in the food pipe start to grow abnormally – in their lifetime. **
According to analysis from Cancer Research UK*** there are around 9,300 new cases of oesophageal cancer in the UK every year. It is the seventh most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with around 22 deaths a day from the disease****. But it is also preventable in as many as 59% of cases.
The information provided by volunteers will be used securely by approved researchers to answer important research questions.
How to get involved
This research programme is open to men aged 55 to 79 and women aged 65 to 79 who have regular symptoms of heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, or who regularly use medication to manage these symptoms.
You can enrol now online to help improve the lives of people with heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. You can also call 0808 281 4772 with any questions or support with signing up.
If you receive a text message from ‘NHSresearch’, you can also click the link in the message to sign up.
Visit www.heartburnhealth.org for more information about the programme, including details of how to take part.
What are the benefits of enrolling?
Joining Heartburn Health will give you the chance to take part in ground-breaking research and make important discoveries about reflux and related health conditions.
One of the clinical trials in Heartburn Health that some participants may be invited to join after enrolling is the BEST4 Screening trial. This clinical trial, funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR), is assessing whether a device called the capsule sponge test (or “pill-on-a-thread”) could be used in future population screening to identify people with heartburn who may have Barrett’s Oesophagus – a condition that may lead to oesophageal cancer. This is a simple, acceptable and effective test and has been shown to increase detection of Barrett’s Oesophagus in primary care settings.
Who is involved
Heartburn Health has been created by clinicians and researchers at the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London. The NHS and Cancer Research UK are also supporting this research programme.
Data sources
* https://gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/symptoms/heartburn-and-reflux/
**Action Against Heartburn, 2024. Heartburn & Cancer - Medical Background. [online] Available at: https://www.actionagainstheartburn.org.uk/medical-background/ [Accessed 30 September 2024]