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Testing for high calcium levels in blood could help early detection of certain types of cancers, a new study from England has found.

According to the study, cancer is known to cause elevation of blood calcium levels, a condition known as hypercalcaemia. Though conventionally hypercalcaemia is investigated in patients whose cancer has been diagnosed, researchers said their efforts are first of its kind as they show correlation between increased cancer risk and high blood calcium levels, making hypercalaemia an indicator for certain types of cancers.

"We wanted to look at the issue from a different perspective and find out if high calcium levels in blood could be used as an early indicator of cancer and therefore in the diagnosis of cancer," Dr. Fergus Hamilton, the study'  lead author at the University of Bristol, said in a release.

The study involving 54,000 people found that cancer risk in men more than doubled from 11.5 percent to 28 percent if blood calcium levels crossed the 2.8 milli moles per liter threshold. In women, the risk was assessed at 4.1 percent if calcium levels were below the threshold but increased to 8.7 percent at higher levels.

Researchers also noted that lung, prostate, colorectal and blood cancers were commonly associated with increased calcium levels.

"We were surprised by the gender difference. There are a number of possible explanations for this but we think it might be because women are much more likely to have hyperparathyroidism, another cause of hypercalcaemia. Men rarely get this condition, so their hypercalcaemia is more likely to be due to cancer," Hamilton said.

Hypercalcaemia is present in 10 to 20 percent cancer patients. Findings of the study indicate that a blood test to determine blood calcium levels could help early detection of cancers and prevent of loss of hundreds of lives, the authors said 

The findings of the study have been published in the British Journal of Cancer.