Earlier this year, we partnered with Dxcover Ltd to hold a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders in Scotland to understand the barriers to a brain tumour diagnosis. As part of this, we explored where a diagnostic tool like Dxcover would be most effective as part of the current referral pathways in Scotland.
This week, we accompanied Neil Gray – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in Scotland – as he visited Dxcover’s laboratory to see how their diagnostic tool works firsthand.
Afterwards, we further discussed the pathways to diagnosis for those affected by brain tumours and routes for innovation to be established within NHS Scotland.
Pushing for a faster diagnosis in Scotland
Unfortunately, we know that for many people affected by brain tumours, diagnosis simply takes too long. According to our Improving Brain Tumour Care survey results 1 in 10 respondents said it had taken over a year to be diagnosed.
This has to change. Which is why we faster diagnosis for all those affected by brain tumours is a key pillar of our call for a National Brain Tumour Strategy.
In Scotland, our Scottish Steering Committee (SSC) is also committed to achieving a faster, better diagnosis.
Collaborating to create change
This year we’ve been working with the team at Dxcover to better understand how such a tool could be embedded into current referral pathways.
Dxcover has developed a test that uses AI to analyse blood samples and look for biomarkers that could indicate a brain tumour.
In the tool’s first clinical trial, conducted in NHS Lothian in 2021, results showed the test could identify more than 90% of glioblastomas and more than 80% of all other brain tumours.
These results and other research suggest this technology could be a promising diagnostic tool for detecting brain tumours. But first we need to understand how this kind of technology could be integrated with existing diagnostic pathways to ensure they’re most beneficial to primary care professionals.
From innovation to establishment
During the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary had the chance to hear about the challenges related to diagnosing brain tumours and the importance of a faster diagnosis.
In 2023, the Scottish Cancer Strategy and a first Action Plan were published. Within the strategy the Scottish government committed to identifying promising research to help diagnose cancer earlier and faster.
Following the lab tour, Neil Gray, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care shared:
“I am encouraged by the work being done by The Brain Tumour Charity and Dxcover to advance the early diagnosis of brain tumours. The development of innovative technologies, such as Dxcover’s liquid biopsy, demonstrates Scotland’s potential to lead the way in improving diagnostic pathways for complex diseases like brain cancer.
“We are working collaboratively with all partners to ensure advancements are integrated into our healthcare system to benefit patients across Scotland.”
Next steps
We thank the Cabinet Secretary for discussing the need to achieve a faster, better diagnosis for those affected by brain tumours and for visiting the Dxcover lab to see first-hand some of the innovations that are taking place to achieve this.
The Cabinet Secretary referenced the creation of the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway that has been established in Scotland. The ANIA pathway has been created to help fast-track proven innovations into healthcare on a ‘Once for Scotland’ basis.
We and the Dxcover team will now follow up with ANIA representatives to understand how diagnostic/triage tools like Dxcover’s can be established in Scotland. It is an exciting development.