Dr James Livermore leads innovation in identifying brain tumours

Pembroke Tutor in Medicine Dr James Livermore recently led a team in the research of brain tumours that has developed new methods to more effectively identify both tumours and relevant treatments.

Working with Consultant Neurosurgeon Mr Puneet Plaha, this team of experts from the University of Oxford and members of Renishaw plc conducted the research on a total of 62 fresh tissues samples, using a Renishaw RA816 Biological Analyser and the method of Raman spectroscopy, which focuses on the vibration of molecules. The testing of these samples was then compared to testing of these same tissues via traditional methods, with this new research proving to hold many advantages over the traditional methods of testing.

Discussing the findings, Dr Livermore commented: “We found that the Raman tests were highly accurate when compared to the traditional testing methods, achieving up to 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity. These results demonstrate that surgeons in the future will be better equipped with tools to tailor the surgical strategy and any post-surgical treatment to the patient’s specific tumour genetics.”

He continued: “The Renishaw Biological Raman Analyser can allow for quick and cost-effective analysis of tissue without the need for specialist staff or expensive equipment… using this workflow, surgeons could remove the tissue sample, place it in the Biological Analyser and get the results in under 15 minutes. This could really change the way we diagnose and treat gliomas.”

The next step in this research is to perform larger studies to increase the size of the patient population and test the system at multiple hospitals.