Surgeons and scientists have developed a world-first blood test for brain cancer that experts say could revolutionize diagnosis, speed up treatment and increase survival rates.
For years, brain tumors have remained notoriously difficult to diagnose. They affect hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year, and in Britain die more children and adults under 40 than any other form of cancer.
Now, a research team has designed a simple blood test that could help diagnose patients with even the deadliest forms of brain cancer much faster, potentially saving them from invasive and risky surgical biopsies. The breakthrough was reported in the International Journal of Cancer.
Experts say the low-cost liquid biopsy could also lead to earlier diagnosis, which would in turn speed up treatment and potentially increase survival rates. The test would be especially beneficial for patients with “inaccessible” brain tumors, who could benefit from starting treatment as soon as possible, she added.
Researchers from the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence, run by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, found the test could accurately diagnose a range of brain tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM), the most commonly diagnosed type of high-grade brain tumors. tumor in adults, astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. The test had “high analytical sensitivity, specificity and precision,” the team reported.
“This groundbreaking research could lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for brain tumor patients,” said Dan Knowles, chief executive of the charity Brain Tumor Research.
Scientists are already planning further studies to validate the results, and if successful, patients could benefit from the new test within just two years.
The TriNetra-Glio blood test, developed with funding from Datar Cancer Genetics, works by isolating glial cells that have detached from the tumor and are circulating in the blood. The isolated cells are then stained and can be identified under a microscope.
Dr. Nelofer Syed, head of the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence, said: “A non-invasive, low-cost method for the early detection of brain tumors is critical for improvements in patient care. There is still a way to go, but this solution could help people for whom a brain biopsy or surgical resection of the tumor is not possible due to the location of the tumor or other limitations.
“This technology makes it possible to diagnose inaccessible tumors through a risk-free and patient-friendly blood test. We think this would be a world first, as there are currently no non-invasive or non-radiological tests for these types of tumors.”
Kevin O’Neill, consultant neurosurgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and honorary clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London, who co-leads the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence with Syed, said: “This test is not only an indicator of disease, it is a truly diagnostic liquid biopsy.
“It detects intact circulating tumor cells from the blood, which can be analyzed to the same cellular detail as a real tissue sample. It is a real breakthrough for the treatment of brain cancers that rarely spread throughout the body.
“This could help speed up diagnosis, allowing surgeons to tailor treatments based on that biopsy to increase patients’ chances of survival. I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to this study, especially the patients involved.”
Knowles from Brain Tumor Research said the findings were significant as less than 1% of patients with GBM live longer than 10 years and for many the prognosis is only 12 months.
“The research carried out at British universities is world-class and something we should all be proud of, but we need so much more. There is an urgent need for new approaches, especially in the treatment of GBM, which is fatal in most cases.
“Brain tumors kill more people under 40 in Britain than any other form of cancer, and we need to find a cure for this devastating disease.
“It is outrageous to think that there have been no improvements in treatment options for this type of tumor over the past twenty years and that the standard of care for GBM patients – surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy – remains unchanged.
“This is why we are campaigning for the government and larger charities to invest more and we will keep up the pressure until patients and their families get the help they so desperately need.”