New ‘Ultra-Rapid’ ddPCR Test Could Revolutionize Brain Cancer Surgery
A new, ultra-fast genetic test developed by NYU Langone Health may enable surgeons to identify cancer cells in real-time during brain surgery, improving tumor removal accuracy
Today’s Clinical Lab is a reader-centric publication that keeps clinical professionals up to date with today’s rapidly changing lab industry with in-depth and timely editorial content and resources, including clinical industry news and insights into the latest trends, technologies, and techniques in the clinical lab.
ViewFull ProfileLearn about ourEditorial Policies.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health have developed a groundbreaking tool, Ultra-Rapid droplet digital PCR (UR-ddPCR), that can rapidly detect genetic mutations in brain cancer cells during surgery. This test, which delivers results in just 15 minutes, could help surgeons more accurately identify and remove cancerous tissue while minimizing damage to healthy areas. The research, published online in the journal Med, shows that UR-ddPCR is as accurate as traditional methods but much faster, making it a potential game-changer in the operating room.
Traditional droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) takes several hours to process, which limits its use during surgery. UR-ddPCR, however, can detect as few as five cancer cells per square millimeter, enabling real-time analysis of tissue samples during brain surgery. "With Ultra-Rapid droplet digital PCR, surgeons may now be able to determine what cells are cancerous and how many of these cancer cells are present in any particular tissue region," said Daniel Orringer, MD, co-senior investigator and neurosurgeon at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
In tests on 75 tissue samples from 22 patients undergoing glioma tumor surgery, UR-ddPCR showed consistent results with both standard ddPCR and genetic sequencing. The team used the test to measure genetic mutations commonly found in brain cancers, such as IDH1 R132H and BRAF V600E. The next step is to automate the technology and test its effectiveness in broader clinical trials. Researchers also plan to refine UR-ddPCR for use in other cancers beyond the brain.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and supported by Bio-Rad, the maker of ddPCR equipment.
Note: This news summary was generated by AI based on a published press release, followed by a review from human editors.