Blood Test Helps Diagnose Inaccessible Brain Tumors

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 03 Jan 2023

Image: The liquid biopsy test diagnoses brain tumors where conventional biopsy is not possible (Photo courtesy of Datar Cancer Genetics)

Worldwide, brain cancer is the 12th most lethal cancer, and each year, more than 250,000 adults die due to the disease. Diagnosis of brain tumors is resource-intensive, risk-prone and brain biopsies are impossible to perform in almost 40% of advanced cases. Presently, no blood test is available for diagnosing brain cancers, and doctors have to rely on complex surgical procedures to obtain tumor tissue for histopathological evaluation. Now, a new blood test can detect the cells released from the brain tumor that are extremely rare and hard to detect, enabling early diagnosis and treatment.

The TriNetra-Glio liquid biopsy from Datar Cancer Genetics Inc. (London, UK) is a blood test to help in the diagnosis of brain tumors where a conventional biopsy is not possible. The test requires only a blood draw and can help detect brain tumors in asymptomatic adult males and females based on the presence of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs). The test evaluates blood samples for the presence of CTCs which may be further analyzed to determine the organ or tissue of origin. The TriNetra-Glio liquid biopsy requires 15 ml blood and is indicated for patients where a brain biopsy, although necessary, cannot be performed or has been unsuccessful. In a prospective, blinded study, the test has shown very high accuracy in detecting malignant brain tumors. The TriNetra-Glio liquid biopsy has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US FDA after previously receiving CE certification and is already available to patients as Trublood-CNS.

"The breakthrough designation is a recognition of the potential benefits of TriNetra-Glio in the clinical setting. The test can help individuals where a brain biopsy or surgical resection of the tumor is not possible due to the location of the tumor or other constraints. With our proprietary CTC-enrichment and detection technology, a diagnosis of inaccessible tumors will become possible through a risk-free and patient-friendly blood test," said Dr. Vineet Datta, Executive Director of the company.

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Datar Cancer Genetics Inc.