New brain tumor test could transform diagnosis and treatment

Scientists and doctors at Newcastle are among the first in the U.K. to use a pioneering brain tumor test with the potential to speed up diagnosis for patients—from weeks to hours.

The new ultra-rapid test could improve diagnosis and treatment for thousands of patients with brain tumors, which can be aggressive and challenging to treat.

Brain tumors are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, according to The Brain Tumour Charity.

There are currently more than 100 identified types of brain tumor, and clinicians need to identify which kind a patient has to determine the most effective way to treat them.

Identifying the exact tumor type as quickly as possible is vital to ensuring patients receive timely, often lifesaving cancer care while reducing the stressful wait for them and their families.

Faster brain tumor diagnoses move a step closer

Newcastle University, working in partnership with Newcastle Hospitals, is one of five specialist centers across the country forming a new network of excellence. Scientists and doctors will be “early adopters,” gathering more evidence about the test’s effectiveness for adults and children with brain tumors.

Dr. Jonathan Coxhead, head of the Genomics Core Facility at Newcastle University, said, “This is a fantastic opportunity to work with the Newcastle Hospitals team to help drive the adoption of this test in the NHS. It’s exciting to know this can have a direct impact on improving patient care.”

The two-year project will explore whether this rapid test is suitable for wider NHS use, considering whether it benefits patients, provides clinicians with useful information and works reliably in health care settings.

Currently, tumor samples taken during surgery are sent to specialist laboratories for detailed analysis. Although highly accurate, the analysis can take several weeks to confirm the exact type of tumor.

The test uses nanopore genetic sequencing and software known as ROBIN to analyze the tumor’s DNA, enabling scientists to generate results far more quickly than traditional methods.

The Newcastle team includes specialist scientists and doctors who work in genetics, examine tissue samples to diagnose disease, and specialize in cancer and neurology, which deals with conditions affecting the brain.

Project lead Angharad Goodman is a clinical scientist at the Newcastle Genetics Laboratory, which provides expert laboratory analysis of samples from across the region to support the diagnosis of a wide range of cancers.

“This is really exciting. The test could revolutionize brain tumor diagnosis,” she said.

“At the moment we carry out different genetic tests which can take a few weeks to provide a complete set of results. This new single test could give us all the information that we require for brain tumor diagnosis within days.”

She added, “The aspiration is to have a provisional result while the patient is still in surgery, which would be amazing and would build on the work already demonstrated through the national pilot program.”

Promising test enters next phase

The project follows an initial project funded by Newcastle Hospitals Charity that used the test on 40 different types of brain tumors from children, young people and adults across the northeast.

Simon Bailey, professor of pediatric neuro-oncology at Newcastle University, said, “This test will significantly improve our ability to make a rapid and accurate diagnosis and, in turn, plan treatment faster so that children can start the most effective treatment as soon as possible.

“It will also provide clarity for children and their families much sooner so they can plan their lives.”

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Gaby Clark

MA in English, copy editor since 2021 with experience in higher education and health content. Dedicated to trustworthy science news.

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Andrew Zinin

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