PIONEERING research into stomach cancer is to be undertaken by specialists in East Lancashire.

A team at Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn believe they are one step nearer to understanding one of the possible causes of the illness.

The team, headed by Jennie MacDowall, worked on the effects of bile on healthy stomachs. They believe they may have found a link between bile and stomach cancer.

They believe it could be the first time anyone has looked into its effects on healthy cases to see if there was a link.

As specialists in cell proliferation -- when cells increase and cause cancer -- the team found that when bile was found in a healthy stomach, it increased the numbers of cells.

Pat Willis, Jennie's partner in the project, said: "We believe it is the first study on how bile affects the stomach. We have not heard of others. It is an exciting piece of research."

Their findings were unveiled at a research conference, at Queen's Park, which also heard details of a series of groundbreaking projects at the hospital, including a breakthrough in detecting prostate cancer.

Urology staff carried out the study on prostate cancer over two years and found that if 12 biopsies were taken from patients suspected to have the condition, instead of the usual six, they could detect 12 per cent more cancers.

Surgeon Adebanji Adeyoju, head of the research team, said: "We were able to show that we could detect 12 per cent more with this extended biopsy method. Detecting cancer early is becoming more and more important, particularly in urology.

"I think it is very good to see that it is a positive result with a potential to improve the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. If you diagnose it early, the better chance you have of treating it."

Dr Adeyoju and his team introduced the new method last year as standard.

Blackburn midwife Cathie Melina headed a research team at the hospital which looked at the best time to listen for an unborn baby's heartbeat.

They found that although midwives listen for a fetal heartbeat between eight and 16 weeks, they were most likely to hear it at 13 weeks.

Research, carried out over the past year on 166 patients, found the chances of hearing it were 60 per cent at 12 weeks, but rose to 91.84 per cent at 13 weeks.

Cathie said: "It is a confidence thing. If a mum is anxious, and we listen for the heartbeat but it is too early, they become worried. If we know we are more likely to hear it at 13 weeks, then that is when we'll get them into the clinic, rather than earlier."

The research, which will continue, means mums are less likely to need a second appointment early in pregnancy.

The conference, the first of its kind and sponsored by Thwaites brewery, awarded prizes to the best presentations on local research, and could become an annual event.

Other projects on display included a back pain rehabilitation programme, improving recovery from anaesthesia and a nurse-led phone clinic.

Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Trust chief executive John Thomas said: "I am very proud of the commitment and enthusiasm shown by staff from a wide range of health professions who undertake research projects.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for staff to share the results of their research and to encourage further research activity within the trust."