Latest news with #ROBIN
The Star
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
New brain cancer test speeds up results to just hours from weeks
The significant reduction in waiting time for brain tumour results also helps lessen the mental and emotional burden from uncertainty that patients face. — dpa Scientists have developed an 'ultra-fast' test that can slash the time patients have to wait to find out what type of brain tumour they have. Patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out their brain tumour type. But the new 'game changer' tool, which assesses the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said that this means patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from Britain's University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the medical journal Neuro-Oncology , the research team said the new test was 'in concordance with standard of care' for '90% of cases'. They said that the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. Usually, doctors have to send samples away to central lab facilities for genetic analysis, with patients facing long waits to find out what type of tumour they have. This long wait is 'traumatic' for patients and can delay chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, according to the research team. University of Nottingham professor of developmental and computational biology Dr Matt Loose developed a method to sequence specific parts of human DNA at 'higher depth' using Oxford Nanopore Technologies portable sequencing devices. The team have now used this method to genetically test brain tumour samples. 'Not only is the test more accurate and quicker, but it is also cheaper than current methods,' said Prof Loose. NUH neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith added: 'Traditionally, the process of diagnosing brain tumours has been slow and expensive. 'Now, with this new technology, we can do more for patients because we can get answers so much more quickly, which will have a much bigger influence on clinical decision-making, in as little as two hours. 'Patients find waiting many weeks for results extremely difficult and this adds to the anxiety and worry at what is already a very difficult time.' He said the test was so rapid that it could even help surgeons during any operation to assist with their 'surgical strategy'. NUH consultant neuropathologist Dr Simon Paine added: 'This new method of diagnosing brain tumours is going to be a game changer; it really is revolutionary. 'It not only increases the speed at which the results will be available, but the degree of accuracy of the diagnosis as well is incredible.' The Brain Tumour Charity chief scientific officer Dr Simon Newman commented: 'The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients, ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and – crucially – removing the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis. 'The potential to combine so many separate tests into one and deliver at a localised level is a game changer for driving equity of access to rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis.' – PA Media/dpa
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Win a copy of Happy Is The One by Katie Allen in this week's Fabulous book competition
POIGNANT READ Win a copy of Happy Is The One by Katie Allen in this week's Fabulous book competition Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ROBIN knows the date he's going to die – born on the day Halley's Comet last appeared, he's destined to check out when it returns. He's methodically planned his life around this, but that all changes when he has to go home to care for his ailing dad. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition Warm and tender, this will really make you think. 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition. To win a copy, enter using the form below by 11:59pm on June 7, 2025. For full terms and conditions, click here.
The Irish Sun
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Win a copy of Happy Is The One by Katie Allen in this week's Fabulous book competition
ROBIN knows the date he's going to die – born on the day Halley's Comet last appeared, he's destined to check out when it returns. He's methodically planned his life around this, but that all changes when he has to go home to care for his ailing dad. 1 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition Warm and tender, this will really make you think. 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition. To win a copy, enter using the form below by 11:59pm on June 7, 2025. For full terms and conditions, click here.
Medscape
22-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
New Genetic Test Could Diagnose Brain Tumours in 2 Hours
Researchers at the University of Nottingham have developed a new genetic test that can diagnose brain tumours in as little as 2 hours The test, called ROBIN, uses PromethION nanopore sequencing to deliver rapid methylome classification. The researchers said results could be available intraoperatively, allowing clinicians to make faster, more informed decisions. The same assay can also be used for next-day molecular profiling, including detection of single nucleotide, copy number, and structural variants. DNA methylation-based classification is now essential for diagnosing and managing many brain tumour subtypes. Current diagnostic methods rely on additional microarray-based assays to detect pathognomonic somatic mutations and structural variants. These steps often delay final diagnosis. Delays Cause Distress and Postpone Treatment Due to the high capital costs, current analytic tests are restricted to specialist tertiary care centres with high throughput, requiring samples to be sent across regions. Tests are sent to centralised facilities, meaning that clinicians have to wait six to eight weeks or longer before they receive full results. This delay can cause significant anxiety for patients and postpone the start of treatment. New Test Offers 2-Hour Turnaround In a study published in Neuro-Oncology , the Nottingham team of scientists and medics tested ROBIN's classifier performance on 50 prospective intraoperative cases. ROBIN, a software tool based on the P2 PromethION nanopore sequencers The test achieved a diagnostic turnaround time under 2 hours. Tumour classification began within minutes of sequencing. It was able to detect single nucleotide variants, copy number variants, and structural variants in real time. In many cases, methylation classification and identification were achieved within a few hours of sequencing. In 90% of classifiable cases, the test provided a complete integrated diagnosis within 24 hours. Its classifications matched the final diagnosis in 90% of cases. ROBIN was able to provide a full integrated diagnosis, with a mean turnaround time of 24 hours for the ultra-fast pipeline. Classifier performance demonstrated concordance with the final integrated diagnosis in 90% of prospective cases. Researchers say nanopore sequencing can improve diagnostic turnaround and offer reliable, clinically actionable intraoperative classification. The test also requires minimal tissue, enabling diagnosis from small samples, such as those obtained via stereotactic biopsy. "Revolutionary" Speed and Accuracy Study co-author Dr Simon Paine, consultant neuropathologist at Nottingham University Hospital, noted both the speed and accuracy of the test. "It really is revolutionary," he said in a press release. According to Cancer Research UK, about 12,700 people are diagnosed with brain tumours annually in the UK. More than 5000 die each year Incidence has increased by 24% since the early 2000s. Ten-year survival remains low, at just 11%. The Nottingham team believes that ROBIN could significantly improve care for thousands of UK patients each year. The researchers hope to see the test adopted across NHS trusts. However, they stressed that clinical trials are needed to confirm its utility in routine practice. The BRAIN MATRIX trial, funded by The Brain Tumour Charity, will assess how ROBIN can help match patients to personalised clinical trials. Dr Simon Newman, chief scientific officer at the charity, said in a press release that rapid diagnosis could reduce uncertainty for patients and speed up access to care. 'The potential to combine so many separate tests into one and deliver at a local level is a game changer,' he said.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Breakthrough ultra-rapid test that can diagnose brain tumours in just two hours could be rolled out on NHS in a year
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCIENTISTS have created an "ultra-fast" test which can slash the time it takes to diagnose brain tumours. At the moment, patients usually wait six to eight weeks to find out the type of brain tumour. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 A new method for diagnosing brain tumours could cut the time patients wait for treatments by weeks to hours Credit: Getty But the new "game changer" tool, which assesses the DNA from a sample taken from the tumour, can achieve this in around two hours, experts found. They said this means that patients can start treatment faster and the test may even help surgical teams while they are performing operations to remove tumours. Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) assessed the new test on 50 patients. Publishing their findings in the journal Neuro-Oncology, the research team said the new test was "in concordance with standard of care" for "90 per cent of cases". Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme, experts said they hoped the test would be rolled out on the NHS 'as soon as possible' — potentially "within the next year or so". They said the new test can provide diagnostic results in under two hours from surgery, and detailed tumour classifications within minutes of sequencing. About 740,000 people around the world are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year, around half of which are non-cancerous. Traditionally, samples of tumours are extracted during surgery to be taken away, tested, and examined under a microscope in a pathology lab. While the process is mostly accurate, it can take up to eight weeks to definitively diagnose the type of tumour. This long wait is also "traumatic" for patients and can delay chemotherapy and radiotherapy, they experts said. But the new method, called ROBIN (rapid nanopore brain intraoperative classification), can potentially eliminate this delay, they added. Man, 64, plays guitar while having a brain tumour Professor Matt Loose, from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham, developed a method to sequence specific parts of human DNA at "higher depth" using Oxford Nanopore Technologies portable sequencing devices. The team have now used this method to genetically test brain tumour samples. "Not only is the test more accurate and quicker, but it is also cheaper than current methods," he said. "Our calculations stand at around £450 per person, potentially less when scaled-up. "Most importantly, it delivers results to the patients when they need them." 'The degree of accuracy is incredible' Neurosurgeon Dr Stuart Smith, from the University's School of Medicine and NUH, added: "Traditionally, the process of diagnosing brain tumours has been slow and expensive. "Now, with this new technology we can do more for patients because we can get answers so much more quickly which will have a much bigger influence on clinical decision making, in as little as two hours. "Patients find waiting many weeks for results extremely difficult and this adds to the anxiety and worry at what is already a very difficult time." He said the test was so rapid that it could even help surgeons during any operation to assist with their "surgical strategy". Dr Simon Paine, a consultant neuropathologist at NUH, added: "This new method of diagnosing brain tumours is going to be a game changer, it really is revolutionary. "It not only increases the speed at which the results will be available, but the degree of accuracy of the diagnosis as well is incredible." Commenting, Dr Simon Newman from The Brain Tumour Charity, said: "The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and - crucially - removing the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis. "The potential to combine so many separate tests into one and deliver at a localised level is a game changer for driving equity of access to rapid and accurate molecular diagnosis."
