A major pilot of a rapid genomic test has launched, potentially enabling thousands of UK patients with suspected brain tumours to receive diagnoses more quickly.
According to one neurosurgeon, it offers a ‘glimpse of how brain tumour surgery could change in the future’ and has been hailed ‘a huge leap forward for patients’.
The world-first NHS pilot of the test, which is being extended across specialist centres in England, will mean patients receive a definitive brain tumour diagnosis within days rather than weeks.
The cutting-edge technology quickly analyses the DNA, or genetic code, of a small tumour sample taken during a biopsy or surgery, helping doctors identify the patient’s brain tumour type.
Receiving a precise diagnosis within days allows patients to start treatment, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, sooner if needed.
For patients undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumour when the exact tumour type is unknown, the rapid genomic test can be carried out.
Results are delivered to the surgeon in under two hours, while the operation is still underway, helping them decide how much of the tumour to remove while safely protecting healthy brain tissue.
A faster diagnosis will also help patients access suitable clinical trials earlier, as some trials require the precise genetic make-up of a tumour before a patient can take part.
Professor Frankie Swords, NHS medical director, said: ‘This remarkable rapid test has the potential to completely transform how we diagnose brain tumours, with results reaching patients in a matter of days rather than weeks. This is a huge leap forward for patients – a faster diagnosis means they can start the right treatment or access clinical trials sooner. In contrast, for some patients it could mean surgeons can make potentially life-changing decisions about their surgery while on the operating table.’
The NHS England pilot builds on the successful pilot already underway in Nottingham and Birmingham and will initially roll out the technology in five specialist centres before expanding further across England.
Scientists and medics at the University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust developed the rapid genomic test.
In a recent operation at Nottingham University Hospitals, a tumour sample was taken in theatre and tested in the same hospital during the operation.
The sequencing took around 20 minutes, and the result was fed back to the surgical team less than two hours after the sample reached the laboratory, while surgery was still underway.
The rapid result gave the surgical team an early classification of the tumour, with further analysis providing a fuller molecular diagnosis within days rather than weeks.
Stuart Smith, consultant neurosurgeon at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and clinical associate professor at the University of Nottingham, said: ‘I am very proud to have been part of this exceptional team creating this rapid genomic testing, which will save valuable waiting time for patients who potentially are being told they don’t have time on their side. Having detailed information about the tumour at the point decisions are made in the operating theatre is game-changing. In some cases, that can help us judge how far we should safely go while protecting healthy brain tissue.
‘This gives us a glimpse of how brain tumour surgery could change in the future – with genomic information available during the operation itself, helping us make more informed decisions for each patient.’
Published: 24.09.2026
