Advancing Diagnosis and Management of Brain Tumours
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Advancing Diagnosis and Management of Brain Tumours (ADAM)
IRAS ID
314217
Contact name
Gerald T. Finnerty
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
This study aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours. The diagnosis of a brain tumour often first comes up when a brain scan has been done. Brain scans do not give sufficient information to plan treatment. Currently, this requires a brain biopsy. However, brain biopsy carries significant risks. Analysis of circulating tumour DNA in cerebrospinal fluid and blood, referred to as liquid biopsy, has shown promise as a tool to diagnose brain tumours. However, it is not in routine clinical use. Liquid biopsy could expedite tumour diagnosis and reduce the need for brain biopsies.
Improved diagnosis needs to be combined with better treatment.
The vast majority of patients with brain tumours have neurosurgery to resect their tumours. The brain tissue removed during brain tumour surgery can be kept alive and studied in the laboratory. The prospect is that a patient’s tumour can be tested with established and new anticancer treatments in the lab to see if they work outside the body before administering them to the patient. This brings forward personalized cancer medicine.We will collect cerebrospinal fluid, blood and tumour samples from patients with primary or secondary brain tumours under the care of King’s College Hospital. Patients with primary neurological disorders under the King’s College Hospital Neurology department undergoing lumbar punctures will be recruited as controls.
DNA analysis of samples will be performed at Guy’s Hospital. Circulating DNA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples will be analysed. This will be compared to DNA analysed directly from the tumour. Some tumour samples will be kept alive and exposed to established and experimental treatments to test whether the tumour’s DNA profile can predict the treatment response.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NW/0148
Date of REC Opinion
25 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion