Cancer genetic test ‘could provide faster treatment for children’

The tool, which scans the whole genome of the tumour, identifies the underlying cause of the disease, sparing patients from multiple invasive biopsies and dozens of other tests
Eleanor Hayward
, Health Editor
The Times
Eddie Pessoa de Araujo was six years old when doctors discovered cancer in his chest. His parents, Harri and Jaime, and his younger brother, Leo, were given reassurance by genome sequencing
Eddie Pessoa de Araujo was six years old when doctors discovered cancer in his chest. His parents, Harri and Jaime, and his younger brother, Leo, were given reassurance by genome sequencing
PA
Eleanor Hayward
, Health Editor
The Times

Thousands of children with cancer could get faster treatment thanks to a cutting-edge genetic test that replaces hundreds of others, an NHS trial has found.

The test reveals the entire genetic code of a patient’s tumour, and was trialled on hundreds of children at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Cambridge University Hospitals.

This “whole genome sequencing” technique looks at tumour samples to pinpoint every cancer-causing mutation, helping to guide treatment by identifying the underlying cause of childhood cancers.

This spares children from having to undergo invasive biopsies or any of the 738 standard-of-care tests, presently used to identify the genetic driver of cancers.

The test can also identify whether tumours are caused by faulty genes that run in families, offering parents peace of mind about