September 2, 2024: In a groundbreaking study, published in eBioMedicine, a team of researchers from Newcastle University and the University of Birmingham, have discovered a new trial that offers a faster and less invasive method for determining tumor type in children with brain cancer, therefore reducing the diagnostic wait time. The research was funded by the Children with Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK.

Transforming Treatment Approaches

The research involved analyzing cell samples from 86 tumors, using a laboratory test to accurately identify metabolic markers, including chemicals specific to various tumor groups. The study also confirmed earlier research showing that glutamate, a metabolite found across all tumor cells, is closely linked to tumor prognosis.

Importantly, this research could lead to the use of MRI scanning combined with machine learning to assess medulloblastomas based on their unique metabolic profiles, potentially eliminating the need for invasive biopsies and significantly reducing the current 3-4 week wait from initial presentation to full diagnosis.

Professor Steve Clifford, Director of the Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, who co-led the study, said: “Providing a rapid diagnosis using innovative scanning and Artificial Intelligence techniques has the potential to revolutionise patient management, allowing early non-invasive diagnosis, tailoring of treatment decisions and reducing the period of uncertainty for patients and parents while awaiting a full diagnosis.

“Further, our biological findings provide critical new insights into the metabolism underpinning these tumours, and the potential to exploit these therapeutically.”

Jack Bourne, Age Six

These findings could be life-changing for children like Jack Bourne, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma at the age of six in March 2023.

Jack’s father, Tom, shared their story: “We’ve been through 13 months of treatment but six weeks of that was just waiting to find out what type of tumour he had. We were so scared.”

Jack began experiencing sickness and headaches shortly after starting school, which doctors initially attributed to possible separation anxiety or vertigo. However, when his parents, Tom and Suzanna, noticed he was struggling to walk, they sought a second opinion, leading to an immediate hospital referral.

“When they told me the results of the MRI scan, I didn’t know what to feel,” said Tom. “As we were trying to digest everything, they were asking us to sign consent forms because they wanted to operate first thing the next morning. You’re reading these forms and all you see is - he might not make it out alive. It’s heartbreaking, it really is.”

Jack survived a 10-hour surgery to remove the tumor, but it took over four weeks for doctors to determine the exact type of medulloblastoma so they could treat it effectively.

Tom emphasized the importance of research in improving diagnosis: “The research that’s going into diagnosing tumours is really important. In Jack’s case there was quite a delay while they sent his tumour to Great Ormond Street to be analysed. During that time Jack was given some chemo just to start things off because they just wanted to do something rather than just wait. But all you want is for your child to be given the best possible treatment right from the start.”

Enhancing Outcomes

Medulloblastoma is the second most common brain tumor in children and the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Each year, around 52 children in the UK are diagnosed with this cancer, though it is rare in adults.

Christiana Ogunbote, Head of Research at Children with Cancer UK, stated: “We are incredibly proud to help fund this innovative medulloblastoma research and are excited to see how it could change the experiences of children diagnosed with this disease and their families. Discovering new ways to improve outcomes for children with cancer is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve. Through continued ahannah.churchill@alzheimers.org.uknd sustained investments in research we look forward to a day where every child can survive their cancer diagnosis.”

Dr. Laura Danielson, Children’s and Young People's Research Lead at Cancer Research UK, added: “Developing quicker, less invasive ways to accurately diagnose the different types of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumour in children, is a crucial step in improving outcomes for young patients. This important study has identified a new way to distinguish between the four subgroups of medulloblastoma. This discovery paved the way for the development of simple imaging tests that could quickly and accurately diagnose the different types of medulloblastoma. This kind of discovery research is important to drive new and improved ways to detect better and treat cancers affecting children and young people.”