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 remained notoriously difficult to diagnose. They affect hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year, and kill more children and adults under the age of 40 in the UK than any other 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 more quickly, potentially sparing them from invasive and high-risk surgical biopsies. The breakthrough is in the International Journal of Cancer.
Experts said the inexpensive liquid biopsy could also lead to earlier diagnosis, which in turn would speed up treatment and potentially increase survival rates. The test would be particularly beneficial for patients with “inaccessible” brain tumors, who could benefit from starting treatment as soon as possible, they added.
Researchers at the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence, run by Imperial College in London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS trust, found the test could accurately diagnose a range of brain tumours, including glioblastoma (GBM), the most commonly diagnosed type of high-grade brain tumor in adults, astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. The test had “high analytical sensitivity, specificity and precision,” the team reported.
“This ground-breaking research could lead to earlier diagnosis and improved 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 in as little as two years.
The TriNetra-Glio blood test, developed with funding from Datar Cancer Genetics, works by isolating glial cells that have broken off 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, who leads the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence, said: “A non-invasive, inexpensive 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 where a brain biopsy or surgical resection of the tumor is not possible due to the location of the tumor or other limitations.
“Through this technology, a diagnosis of inaccessible tumors can become possible through a risk-free and patient-friendly blood test. We believe this will be a world first as there are currently no non-invasive or non-radiological tests for this type of tumour.”
Kevin O’Neill, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London, who leads the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence with Syed, said: “This test is not only indicative 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 an actual tissue sample. This is a real breakthrough for the treatment of brain cancer that rarely spreads throughout the body.
“This can help speed up diagnosis, allowing surgeons to apply tailored 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 for more than 10 years and for many the prognosis is as little as 12 months.
“The research undertaken 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 in the UK under the age of 40 than any other cancer and we need to find a cure for this devastating disease.
“It is scandalous to think that in two decades there have been no improvements in treatment options for this type of tumor and 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.”
