A group of British scientists have developed the first blood test to detect brain cancer. A revolutionary breakthrough can Avoid the surgeries currently needed to diagnose some brain tumors. Procedures that are highly invasive and risky.
“We believe this is a world first, as there are currently no non-invasive or non-radiological tests for these tumor types,” Nelofer Syed, the study’s principal investigator, said in a statement. The study is being carried out by the Brain Tumor Research Center of Excellence, which is run by Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
The group challenged him to a test “liquid biopsy”. They emphasize that it is inexpensive and can speed up diagnosis.. This way, patients can start treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy as soon as possible and improve survival.
The blood test will especially help patients with tumors considered “inaccessible” located in very deep areas of the brain. This type of brain cancer affects thousands of people around the world every year. In the United Kingdom, for example, it is the type of cancer with the highest mortality rate among children and adults under 40 years of age.
“With this technology, inaccessible tumors can be diagnosed through a safe and patient-friendly blood test,” said Syed. The clinical trial, published in the International Journal of Cancer, involved brain cancer patients treated at the Brain Tumor Center of Excellence.
How does the brain cancer test work?
Those responsible for this brain cancer test will now carry out larger trials. The US Food and Drug Association (FDA) called the study a “breakthrough therapy.” In practice, this will help make the analysis more accessible. for patients in this country.
This title is awarded only after a thorough evaluation demonstrating the potential of the product. Brain cancer test could help if new trial goes well implement in medical centers within two years.
“The test can detect circulating tumor cells in the blood, which can be analyzed in the same cellular detail as an actual tissue sample,” explained Kevin O’Neill, consultant neurosurgeon at Imperial College Healthcare. The test is based on isolating these cells, which are then stained so they can be identified under a microscope.
The first studies confirmed that this test for brain cancer allows for accurate diagnosis of glial tumors. This is a particularly dangerous type of tumor because it can grow and put pressure on tissue in the brain or spinal cord. This group includes glioblastomas (GBMs), astrocytomas, and oligodendrogliomas.
Brain Tumor Research, which funded the study, said the test for brain cancer is very “significant.” The institution emphasized, for example, that less than 1% of patients with GBM live more than 10 years. For many, life expectancy is only 12 months.
Source: Hiper Textual
