Researchers share progress and challenges at brain tumour conference

Genetic analysis and molecular biology are starting to play a much more important role in the study of brain tumours, researchers told patients and carers attending Brain Tumour UK’s annual conference.

These laboratory-based methods are increasingly being used to help in the diagnosis, prognosis, management, and future development of treatments for brain tumours.

“The genetic analysis of brain tumours can help us better predict if the brain tumour will recur and if so, how and when.

It could also tell us why some tumours are more resistant to chemotherapy and help with the development of individualised therapy rather than a one-size-fit-all approach,” said Dr Tracy Warr, Brain Tumour UK Reader in Neuro-Oncology, University of Wolverhampton.

However, the experts also talked openly about their frustrations of getting clinical trials for new drugs approved and the need for more funding and flexibility from government to speed up research efforts.

”We need government to make it easier for patients to donate brain tumour tissue for research and to participate in clinical trials,” said Professor Roy Rampling, Emeritus professor and Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow.

Brain Tumour UK's annual conference held in Glasgow in September 2011 gave 120 people affected by brain tumours a chance to find out about the latest research and speak to experts in a relaxed environment. Patients and carers said they were reassured by the knowledge, humanity and passion of the experts.

“Many of us feel suppressed anger because we are not being looked after well enough by the NHS, but when I listen to the academics, I just feel so much calmer knowing that such good people are working behind the scenes to try to help us,” says Duncan Tunstall, who has been living with a brain tumour for 10 years.