Real-time cancer detection improves brain surgery precision

Editor's Note

A new genetic testing tool could allow surgeons to accurately identify cancer cells in real time during brain surgery, potentially improving surgical outcomes and reducing cancer recurrence, NYU Langone Health System announced. 

According to a February 25 press release, the Ultra-Rapid droplet digital PCR (UR-ddPCR) technique identifies cancer cell genetic “fingerprints” within 15 minutes, potentially making it the first practical tool of its kind for intraoperative cancer detection.

Researchers reportedly found that UR-ddPCR accurately detected cancer cells at a sensitivity of as few as 5 cells per square millimeter in brain tissue samples. It also matched the accuracy of standard droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and genetic sequencing but operated significantly faster than traditional ddPCR, which takes several hours.

In tests conducted on more than 75 tissue samples from 22 patients undergoing glioma tumor removal at NYU Langone, UR-ddPCR consistently produced the same results as conventional genetic sequencing techniques. The study also verified UR-ddPCR’s accuracy by comparing results with known cancerous and non-cancerous samples. According to the health system, this level of precision could enable surgeons to better distinguish cancerous from healthy tissue, potentially increasing the success rate of tumor removal while minimizing damage to surrounding brain tissue.

UR-ddPCR was developed by streamlining multiple stages of the ddPCR process, the health system reports. Researchers reduced the DNA extraction time from 30 minutes to less than five and increased chemical concentrations to cut some processing times from two hours to under three minutes. Prewarming reaction vessels also sped up temperature cycling, significantly decreasing the overall testing time.

Researchers emphasize that further refinements and clinical trials are necessary before widespread adoption. They plan to automate UR-ddPCR for easier use in surgical settings and aim to expand its application to other cancer types by targeting additional genetic mutations. As outlined in the press release, the next phase will compare patient outcomes using UR-ddPCR with existing diagnostic methods.

The announcement also notes that funding for the research was provided by the National Institutes of Health, with additional study supplies donated by Bio-Rad, the ddPCR equipment manufacturer. Researchers involved in the study have disclosed financial interests and patents related to the UR-ddPCR technology, all managed under NYU Langone Health’s policies.