A new NHS approach could cut the time it takes to identify brain tumours from several weeks to just a few days.
Specialist hospitals in England are beginning to introduce a rapid genomic test that can analyse tumour DNA shortly after a sample is taken.
Developed by scientists and medics at the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the technology has already been tested in Nottingham and Birmingham before its wider NHS rollout.
In some cases, doctors can receive an initial result while a patient is still undergoing brain surgery, providing information about the tumour that could help guide the procedure.
The move is designed to bring earlier certainty to patients and clinicians dealing with more than 100 types of brain tumour.
A more precise diagnosis can determine the treatment a patient receives and may also allow some people to access relevant clinical trials sooner.
Professor Frankie Swords, NHS medical director, highlighted the significance of the genomic test: “For people with suspected brain tumours, getting the right diagnosis quickly can feel like a race against time, while waiting weeks for answers can be agonising for them and their families.
“This remarkable rapid test has the potential to completely transform how we diagnose brain tumours, with results reaching patients in a matter of days rather than weeks.
“This is a huge leap forward for patients – a faster diagnosis means they can start the right treatment or access clinical trials sooner, while for some patients it could mean surgeons can make potentially life-changing decisions about their surgery while on the operating table.”
Turning tumour DNA into a diagnosis
Brain tumours can be difficult to classify because different types can behave very differently.
Around 13,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour every year, while these tumours remain the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40.
At present, reaching a definitive diagnosis can be a lengthy process. Patients may undergo MRI or CT scans before a tumour sample is obtained through a biopsy or during surgery. That tissue is then examined in a pathology laboratory, with the full diagnostic process potentially taking weeks.
The new genomic test takes a different approach by examining the DNA within the tumour sample. The genetic information can provide an early indication of the tumour’s classification, followed by a more detailed molecular diagnosis within days.
For patients, the difference is potentially significant. A clearer diagnosis means clinicians can identify an appropriate treatment pathway sooner, including chemotherapy or radiotherapy where necessary.
Testing while surgery is still taking place
One of the most notable features of the programme is the speed at which an initial result can be produced.
At Nottingham University Hospitals, a recent operation demonstrated how the process can work in practice. A tumour sample was taken during surgery and analysed in a laboratory within the same hospital.
The sequencing took around 20 minutes. The surgical team received the resulting information less than two hours after the sample reached the laboratory, while the operation was still in progress.
Where the precise tumour type is initially unknown, this information can give surgeons an early classification to consider during the procedure.
That could help inform decisions about how much of the tumour can be removed while protecting healthy brain tissue.
A fuller molecular diagnosis can then follow within days as additional analysis is completed.
Potential to speed up access to clinical trials
The benefits of faster genomic testing could extend beyond treatment decisions.
Some clinical trials require a tumour to have a particular genetic profile before a patient can participate. Getting that information sooner could therefore allow eligible patients to enter relevant trials earlier.
The NHS is now looking to establish the testing approach across a wider network, bringing together brain surgery teams, pathology services and genomic medicine specialists.
Five centres begin NHS rollout
NHS England is putting more than £2m into the Brain Cancer NHS Genomic Network of Excellence over two years.
The network is clinically led from Birmingham and scientifically led from Nottingham, with NHS Genomic Medicine Service teams responsible for delivering the programme.
The first phase will introduce the technology at five trusts:
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The programme is then due to expand during its second phase, with genomic laboratory sites in Bristol, Oxford, Leeds, and Manchester joining the network.
The aim is not simply to introduce the test at individual hospitals, but to develop a consistent approach to genomic diagnosis and build the evidence required for its wider use across the NHS.
The programme also aligns with the National Cancer Plan for England, which identifies research and innovation as priorities, including faster adoption of new technology, wider access to genomic testing and earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Team Health Accessible
Health & Wellness Editorial Team
HealthAccessible editorial team delivers trusted, accessible, and evidence-based health information for everyone.
