Nottingham innovation helping brain tumour patients get answers and treatment sooner | Latest news

Patients being treated for suspected brain tumours at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) could receive a definitive diagnosis in days rather than weeks, thanks to a pioneering rapid genomic test developed by clinicians and scientists in Nottingham.

The ground-breaking technology, created through a collaboration between NUH and the University of Nottingham (UON), is now being piloted across specialist centres in England following its successful use in Nottingham.

For patients facing the uncertainty of a brain tumour diagnosis, the test has the potential to dramatically reduce waiting times for answers and ensure treatment can begin sooner when needed.

The rapid genomic test analyses the DNA of a tumour sample taken during surgery or biopsy, enabling clinicians to identify the exact type of brain tumour far more quickly than current methods. While traditional laboratory testing can take several weeks, the new approach provides a detailed molecular diagnosis within days.

In some cases, results can be delivered to surgeons while an operation is still underway. This gives clinical teams vital information to help guide surgical decisions and tailor treatment plans to each individual patient.

Brain tumours can be particularly challenging to diagnose and treat, with more than 100 different tumour types ranging from slow-growing conditions to aggressive cancers. Identifying the exact type of tumour quickly is critical to ensuring patients receive the most appropriate care.

For patients and their families, faster results can also reduce the anxiety that often comes with waiting for a diagnosis and provide earlier access to treatment options and clinical trials.

One patient who has already benefited from the technology is Nottingham resident Steve Palmer, 55, who was diagnosed with a grade 4 glioblastoma after collapsing unexpectedly at the gym.

Steve said: "For me, getting that quick diagnosis of exactly what type of tumour I had was a key thing because it meant we could get the treatment plan in place very rapidly.

"Getting that definite result quickly took away what could have been weeks of anxiety. I'd had the surgery and I just wanted to get on to the next phase of treatment and recovery.

"Having the results so quickly made it easier to process what was happening. They weren't the results I wanted, but I'd much rather have that certainty quickly than be left waiting."

In his recent operation at NUH, which was filmed by the BBC with their Medical Editor, Fergus Walsh, a tumour sample was taken in theatre and analysed on-site during surgery. The genetic sequencing process took around 20 minutes, with results fed back to the surgical team in less than two hours while the procedure was still taking place.

This early insight into the tumour helped clinicians better understand the disease and supported decision-making during surgery, with a more detailed diagnosis available within days.

Mr Stuart Smith, Consultant Neurosurgeon at NUH and Clinical Associate Professor at the UON, said: "This innovation was developed with one goal in mind: improving care for patients with brain tumours.

"Waiting for a diagnosis can be an incredibly difficult time for patients and families. By dramatically reducing that wait, we can provide answers sooner, start treatment plans more quickly and reduce some of the uncertainty people face at an already challenging time.

"The ability to access detailed genomic information while surgery is still taking place is truly game-changing. It helps us make more informed decisions, personalise care and, in some cases, determine how much tumour can be safely removed while protecting healthy brain tissue.

"We're incredibly proud that this has been developed in Nottingham and is now helping shape the future of brain tumour diagnosis and treatment across the NHS."

The technology was developed by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, pathologists, genetic scientists and researchers from NUH and the UON. Following successful pilot work in Nottingham and Birmingham, the approach is now being introduced across specialist centres in England as part of a wider programme to evaluate its use in routine NHS care.

Around 13,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with a primary brain tumour each year. By enabling faster and more precise diagnoses, the Nottingham-developed test has the potential to improve the experience of thousands of patients while supporting more personalised treatment and better outcomes.