More accurate diagnosis on the horizon...

The critical role of genomic profiling in diagnosing and grading brain tumours has been underscored in a study where brain tumour patients survived for longer when they were treated aggressively with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy

This new, more accurate diagnosis comes from profiling of the DNA alterations that drive tumour growth. All patients underwent genomic sequencing using the UCSF500 Cancer Gene Panel and were offered treatment consistent with a conventional glioblastoma. The length of their survival was compared with a retrospective cohort of 130 glioblastoma patients whose treatment regimens were more conservative, in line with the previous tumour classification. The first group of patients survived an average of 24 months, while the second group survived an average of 16 months.

The researchers reported their study in Neuro-Oncology