The Mayo Clinic, in collaboration with the Central Nervous System/Neuro-Oncology Disease Team will use its grant Humor to Fight the Tumor to push the boundaries of brain tumor diagnosis and treatment through next-generation sequencing (NGS). This transformative technology offers detailed genomic insights that can pinpoint mutations and uncover genetic targets, paving the way for personalized treatments for challenging brain tumors like glioblastomas and medulloblastomas. The initiative has two primary objectives:
- Integrating NGS into Mayo Clinic’s clinical workflow, regardless of patients’ insurance status, through a comprehensive registry that tracks outcomes, boosts access, and streamlines insurance approvals for NGS testing.
- Preclinical evaluation of targeted therapies for specific gene mutations such as BRAF V600E and PDGFRA D842V, in combination with radiation and chemotherapy. Over the next two years, this project aims to improve patient care, alleviate the financial burden of NGS testing, and create a foundation for cutting-edge therapies. With the potential to impact the 5,600 patients treated annually at Mayo Clinic, this initiative holds promise not only for local care but for the global fight against brain tumors.