Latest news with #NottinghamUniversityHospitalsNHSTrust
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New brain tumour test a 'game changer', say experts
A new test has been developed that reduces the time it takes to diagnose types of brain tumours from weeks to just hours, researchers say. Surgeons have described the "ultra-rapid" method of genetic testing as a "game changer" and say it could improve care and treatment for thousands of patients. The method has been developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham in partnership with clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). The research has attracted interest from across the UK, with other NHS hospitals setting up their own testing alongside their existing regimes to gather more evidence about its effectiveness. A study published on Wednesday reveals the method has already been used in 50 operations at NUH and has had a 100% success rate in diagnosing the exact type of tumour. There are currently more than 100 identified types of brain tumour, and clinicians need to identify which kind a patient has to determine the most effective way to treat them. Traditionally, samples of tumours are extracted during surgery to be taken away, tested, and examined under a microscope in a pathology lab. While the process is mostly accurate, it can take up to eight weeks to definitively diagnose the type of tumour. Stuart Smith, NUH consultant neurosurgeon, said: "Sometimes once we do get the full diagnosis back from the laboratory, we realise it's a type of tumour that would really benefit from what we call more radical surgery to remove every last piece of tumour, if that hasn't been done at the first operation. "Sadly, sometimes that does mean a patient has to undergo a second, or sometimes even a third operation, to ensure that all the tumour that can be surgically removed has been." However, the new technique has seen results returned in as little as 90 minutes, and Mr Smith said it was possible to get a diagnosis while a patient was still in the operating theatre for their original procedure. It means surgeons would be able to perform more radical surgery, if needed, at the time. Mr Smith also said faster classification could allow patients to get radiation treatment or chemotherapy, more quickly, and that the quicker diagnoses often reduced the anxiety patients felt while waiting for test results. "It is a game changer," he added. Prof Matt Loose, a biologist at the University of Nottingham's School of Life Sciences, developed the new method using software dubbed ROBIN. Using nanopore genetic sequencing, he said, scientists are able to choose which parts of the DNA to look at in detail, delivering a faster result. He said: "Sadly most brain tumours are incredibly aggressive and waiting six to eight weeks, or however long, for every subsequent test may be too long for that patient. "Now we can get the results within hours and that can happen within an operation while a patient is still in theatre." Gemma's daughter Nancy was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged just one in 2023. The now two-year-old had two brain surgeries, then high-dose chemotherapy treatment to prevent the cancer from coming back. Gemma, from Castle Donington in Leicestershire, said: "From Nancy's first surgery to finding out what that tumour was, it was two weeks, and that was two weeks of pure hell and anxiety. "But to have it done that quick it could have saved her that extra brain surgery." Nancy is now in remission and has become the face of a national TV advert for Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity that supported the family during her treatment. Charles Trigg, who lives near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, was diagnosed with a stage four aggressive glioblastoma tumour in April. He was told his tumour was the size of a golf ball. The 45-year-old, who has been treated by Mr Smith, said: "To have knowledge is power and it could be the worst knowledge you have, but it gives you certainty, and having that certainty actually makes life a hell of a lot easier. "The fact they've been able to get back data very quickly that allows an extensive team of people to conduct detailed reviews feels like an amazing blend of science and medicine. "The pace is phenomenal, and it gives you that certainty and clarity, regardless of whether you like the information, I can't change the information, but what I can do, is take the information I've been given early - and absorb it, feel it and start to plan for the next stage." Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, according to The Brain Tumour Charity. Dr Simon Newman, the charity's chief scientific officer, said: "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." Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, and Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and Kings College Hospital in London, are among those now setting up their own testing of the method alongside their existing processes. Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Bereaved mum pushes for brain tumour research cash Could AI help treat brain tumours in children? Man's brain tumour shrinks by half in therapy trial University of Nottingham Nottingham Hospitals
Glasgow Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
‘Game changer' brain tumour test set to improve care for patients
Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'. They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Usually medics have to send samples away to central analysis 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, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, 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,' he said. 'Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. 'Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them.' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, 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'. Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, 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.' Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: '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.'
South Wales Guardian
21-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
‘Game changer' brain tumour test set to improve care for patients
Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'. They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Usually medics have to send samples away to central analysis 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, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, 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,' he said. 'Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. 'Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them.' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, 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'. Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, 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.' Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: '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.'
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
‘Game changer' brain tumour test set to improve care for patients
Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'. They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Usually medics have to send samples away to central analysis 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, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, 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,' he said. 'Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. 'Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them.' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, 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'. Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, 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.' Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: '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.'
North Wales Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
‘Game changer' brain tumour test set to improve care for patients
Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'. They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Usually medics have to send samples away to central analysis 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, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, 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,' he said. 'Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. 'Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them.' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, 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'. Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, 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.' Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: '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.'
