New DNA test cuts brain tumour diagnosis times from 'weeks to days'

A new rapid DNA test is set to speed up brain tumor diagnosis in England, cutting turnaround from weeks to days, NHS officials said. During surgery, teams can now confirm the precise tumor type within two hours by rapidly analyzing the genetic code from a patient’s tumor sample. NHS England plans to trial the approach at specialist centers. The goal is to help patients receive tailored treatment sooner and to increase access to clinical trials that might otherwise be missed. Brain tumors include more than 100 forms, ranging from slow-growing lesions to malignant cancers. The test was developed by specialists at Nottingham University Hospitals and the University of Nottingham and is already in use there.