Liquid biopsy for brain tumors: using DNA methylation in blood to guide brain cancer care
Official title: Establishing the clinical utility of cell-free tumor DNA methylation profiling as a reliable liquid biopsy approach in brain tumors
Funded at University Health Network · NIH-11319801 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study aims to test if measuring DNA methylation patterns in blood can reliably help diagnose brain tumors and monitor treatment without invasive brain surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University Health Network NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toronto, Canada) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $358,475 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA263196-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319801 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with brain tumors who may benefit from non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring options.
✕Less likely to help
People without brain tumors or those without detectable methylation signals in blood may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a non-invasive blood test to detect brain tumors by looking at DNA methylation signals. It seeks to overcome current limits of imaging and the unavoidably invasive tissue biopsies. If successful, the approach could help doctors diagnose brain tumors earlier and track how well treatments are working over time using a simple blood test.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have faster, safer cancer diagnoses and easier way to monitor treatment response.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows DNA methylation profiling can distinguish cancer types, but this approach tests a liquid biopsy specifically for brain tumors.
Where this research is happening
-
University Health Network
Toronto, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zadeh, Gelareh — University Health Network
- Study coordinator: Zadeh, Gelareh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Using blood tests to analyze DNA changes in brain tumors for better diagnosis
This study is looking at a new, simple way to check for brain tumors by analyzing DNA from your blood, so you won't need risky surgeries to get an accurate diagnosis.
-
ONC206 for children with brain tumors: a first-in-children trial
A first-in-children trial will test the safety and early signs of effectiveness of ONC206, taken by mouth, in kids with malignant brain tumors like diffuse midline gliomas.
-
ONC206 for children with malignant brain tumors
A first-in-children trial tests the safety and early effectiveness of a pill that can cross the brain barrier to treat pediatric brain tumors.
-
ONC206 for children with dangerous brain tumors
A first-in-children study tests the safety and early effectiveness of an oral drug, ONC206, for kids with high-risk brain tumors that have spread or recurred.
-
Oral bacteria and brain metastasis: how the mouth may influence brain tumors
A study exploring how oral microbes may affect brain metastases and patient outcomes, with potential to guide new microbiome-based approaches.
-
Towards a blood-based test using nanophotonic exosomes to screen and diagnose liver cancer
A new blood test using tiny particles shed by liver cancer cells aims to screen for hepatocellular carcinoma earlier and more accurately.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.