New brain cancer test speeds up results to just hours from weeks
The significant reduction in waiting time for brain tumour results also helps lessen the mental and emotional burden from uncertainty that patients face. — dpa
Scientists have developed an 'ultra-fast' test that can slash the time patients have to wait to find out what type of brain tumour they have.
Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out their brain tumour type.
But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found.
They said that this means patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours.
Researchers from Britain's University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients.
Publishing their findings in the medical journal Neuro-Oncology , the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'.
They said that the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing.
Usually, doctors have to send samples away to central lab facilities for genetic analysis, with patients facing long waits to find out what type of tumour they have.
This long wait is 'traumatic' for patients and can delay chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the experts said.
But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, according to the research team.
University of Nottingham professor of developmental and computational biology Dr Matt Loose developed a method to sequence specific parts of human DNA at 'higher depth' using Oxford Nanopore Technologies portable sequencing devices.
The team have now used this method to genetically test brain tumour samples.
'Not only is the test more accurate and quicker, but it is also cheaper than current methods,' said Prof Loose.
NUH neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith added: 'Traditionally, the process of diagnosing brain tumours has been slow and expensive.
'Now, with this new technology, we can do more for patients because we can get answers so much more quickly, which will have a much bigger influence on clinical decision-making, in as little as two hours.
'Patients find waiting many weeks for results extremely difficult and this adds to the anxiety and worry at what is already a very difficult time.'
He said the test was so rapid that it could even help surgeons during any operation to assist with their 'surgical strategy'.
NUH consultant neuropathologist Dr Simon Paine added: 'This new method of diagnosing brain tumours is going to be a game changer; it really is revolutionary.
'It not only increases the speed at which the results will be available, but the degree of accuracy of the diagnosis as well is incredible.'
The Brain Tumour Charity chief scientific officer Dr Simon Newman commented: 'The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients, ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and – crucially – removing the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis.
'The potential to combine so many separate tests into one and deliver at a localised level is a game changer for driving equity of access to rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis.' – PA Media/dpa
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