ICR researchers develop blood test to uncover how childhood tumours adapt

It is hoped that the approach will lead to more targeted treatments for childhood cancers

Researchers from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) have developed a simple blood test that could be used to improve our understanding of childhood cancers.

The findings of the Stratified Medicine Paediatrics (SMPaeds1) programme, published in the journal Cancer Discovery, demonstrate that circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) testing can be used to track how childhood tumours adapt and change in response to treatment.

It is hoped that the approach, which only requires a patient blood sample and is much less invasive than a tumour biopsy, could lead to more targeted and less toxic treatments.

The ICR team, funded by Children With Cancer UK and Cancer Research UK, evaluated samples of childhood tumours at initial diagnosis and circulating tumour DNA, fragments of tumour DNA in the blood, at the time of relapse.

The test was also able to detect additional DNA mutations that were missed by the original tumour biopsy in some patients.

Study author Sally George, Group Leader of the Developmental Oncology group at the ICR, London and an Honorary Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We showed that ctDNA analysis can add valuable information and that in some patients it can detect additional DNA mutations that are in the tumour but were missed by tumour biopsy.

“SMPaeds1 is the largest study with matched ctDNA and tissue sequencing to date and shows the value of ctDNA testing for children with cancer. We are working with colleagues across Europe to transition ctDNA analysis from being a research test to being available clinically.”

The second phase of the research programme, SMPaeds2, is currently underway and is aimed at further developing and studying new tests.