‘Gamechanging’ brain tumour test reduces diagnosis from eight weeks to two hours
NHS England says test can be done while patient is on operating table and is being piloted in five centres around the country A rapid new test for brain tumours can diagnose patients while they are still on the operating table. Scientists have called the development “gamechanging” and said it could secure early treatment for those who “do not have time on their side”. Continue reading...
A groundbreaking test for brain tumours has been hailed as "gamechanging" by scientists, as it can provide rapid diagnoses while patients are still under the operating table. Developed by the Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the University of Nottingham, the test can cut waiting times for a diagnosis from up to eight weeks to just two hours.
The genomic test, which analyses the genetic code of a tumour sample, is being piloted in five NHS specialist centres across the country. NHS England's medical director, Prof Frankie Swords, hailed the test as a "huge leap forward for patients" that could secure early access to clinical trials and prevent uncertainty. Consultant neurosurgeon Stuart Smith, co-lead of the research centre, said the test's ability to provide detailed information during surgery is "gamechanging".
The test works by sequencing the DNA of tissue samples obtained from the tumour, which is analyzed in a shoebox-sized machine called an Oxford Nanopore. Primary brain tumours are the leading cause of death in children and adults under 40 in the UK. The test will be rolled out to additional sites in Bristol, Oxford, Leeds, and Manchester.
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