NHS England plans a five-centre pilot of a genomic test that can identify a brain tumour’s type in two hours, rather than up to eight weeks. The test could guide surgery and speed treatment; Steve Palmer’s surgeons received his result during surgery.
The test sequences DNA from a small tumour sample in a shoebox-sized Oxford Nanopore machine, using software developed at the University of Nottingham with hospital clinicians. In Palmer’s case, the neuropathology team called the operating theatre after 20 minutes to say the tumour was likely a glioblastoma; it was classified as grade 4. Knowing the type during surgery may affect how much surgeons remove: they may aim to remove all visible tumour for some curable types, but be more cautious with aggressive ones to reduce the risk of brain damage.
The five-centre pilot includes specialist trusts in Nottingham, Birmingham, London and Newcastle and builds on an earlier project in Nottingham and Birmingham; expansion is planned for Bristol, Oxford, Leeds and Manchester. NHS England says the pilot will build evidence for safe, consistent use in routine care. More than 12,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour each year. Neurosurgeon Stuart Smith said the genetic profile could also speed access to clinical trials.
