Researchers and clinicians from across the UK came together this month to discuss innovative ways to improve brain tumour diagnosis nationally.
They discussed how new technologies work, presented their research data and considered how we could apply this knowledge to work with healthcare systems in the UK.
Joined by companies who develop tools to make this research possible, discussions around how this technology could be rolled out to help achieve equity of access and the best care nationally were an important part of the day.
Collaboration
Discussions covered topics such as the use of tools that can be used for rapid diagnosis while a patient is still in surgery – helping to reduce the time to receive a diagnosis from weeks or months to hours and days. To how we can use blood and cerebral spinal fluid to help detect brain tumours earlier.
Many of these tools and technologies are still being tested and developed, but we need to find ways to use them in a healthcare setting and discussions about this were a key topic of the day.
The speakers covered adult and childhood brain tumours and addressed key topics such as:
- – how to collaborate more effectively at a national level and maximise the use of historical and ongoing sample collections
- – how we can focus research studies on early detection of brain tumours
- – how AI can be used to support research
- – how we can use collaboration with industry partners to ensure the success of the tools and technologies being developed
Discussions and outcomes
A mini-workshop towards the end of the day identified four areas of importance for improving brain tumour diagnosis. Below are some of the key discussion points from experts in the room:
How to ensure sample & data access at the national level
Acquire funding to establish infrastructure and create national databases to store and share data from liquid biopsies. Develop and enforce standards for sample collection, processing, and analysis. Ensure patient consent and engagement to encourage participation in biomarker studies. Implement robust regulatory frameworks for governing sample and data usage. Encourage collaboration between healthcare providers, research institutions, and industry partners.
Industry collaboration and commercialisation – what does a successful path look like?
Forming partnerships between biotech companies, pharmaceutical firms, and academic institutions to accelerate technology development and commercialisation. It’s critical to engage with medicines regulators such as the FDA (USA) and EMA (Europe) early in the development process. Academics need to consider and demonstrate cost-effectiveness and clinical utility of the product/device/laboratory test and educate healthcare providers and patients about liquid biopsies’ benefits and applications.
AI and technical advances in biomarker development – how do we keep up?
Integrate bioinformaticians into research teams and ensure access to diverse training data sets to ensure effective development and commercialisation of early detection and diagnostic tools. Establish AI-specific regulations and protocols for data protection, promote open science and reproducibility, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations. Include patient representatives in research design, address biases in AI algorithms, and create public awareness campaigns. Upgrade computational resources, allocate funding for AI-specific needs, and engage with regulatory and industrial partners for accreditation and commercialisation.
Experimental design and statistical consideration for early detection studies: development stage
Developing tools for early detection and rapid diagnosis requires meticulous planning in experimental design and statistical analysis. Key statistical considerations involve selecting suitable methods, ensuring data quality and preprocessing, and validating results independently. Ethical considerations, such as patient consent and data privacy, are also crucial.
Events like this foster collaborations between experts in the field, whether they are directly treating patients or conducting research in labs. We need every single one of these experts to tackle brain tumours!
The event was organised by Professor Susan Short and Professor Petra Hamerlik alongside her team in Manchester.
I was very humbled by the number of people who attended and actively participated in the discussions, whether they were related to the presented talks or the mini-workshop. While we may not have all the answers, I strongly believe that events like this will bring us together, foster synergies, and result in innovative science that addresses areas of high unmet clinical need such as non-invasive detection and rapid diagnosis at surgery
Professor Petra Hamerlik, The Brain Tumour Charity’s Chair of Neuro-oncology
Our thanks are extended to the other sponsors of the event:
