The network aims to develop a pathway for providing actionable clinical results from whole genome sequencing within days of biopsy collection, to accelerate and improve cancer treatments for children.
Current whole genome sequencing pathways can take weeks to return results, often too late to inform initial treatments, which need to be initiated within days following diagnosis.
The Paediatric Cancer Genomic Network of Excellence (NoE) builds upon recent research led by Dr Aditi Vedi at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Through the Cambridge Children’s Innovation Hub, a tripartite collaboration between NHS, academia (University of Cambridge) and industry (Illumina), has developed rapid WGS pathways, which have now been validated in a cohort of childhood cancer patients (n=54).
This validation study (opens in a new tab) found that rapid WGS could be delivered with 2-3 days and influence management for over half of newly diagnosed patients in the cohort (n=18/35). This included starting treatment sooner, avoiding chemotherapy, avoiding surgery, use of precision treatments and, in some cases, avoiding treatments altogether.
Through this NoE, the rapid sequencing pathway will be available to all eligible paediatric cancer patients (including teens and young adults to age 25 years) receiving testing through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service.
Clinicians interested in providing rapid WGS for their patients through the NoE should contact Dr Vedi or Dr Tom Burr at East Genomics via the NoE inbox: cuh.shd-paediatric-oncology-noe@nhs.net
Alongside WGS, the network will also work with Illumina to develop rapid whole methylome analysis, providing further clinical insights into genomic function and regulation in children’s cancers.
The goal of the network is to establish procedures within the NHS for equitable access to rapid WGS and methylation analysis for all eligible paediatric cancer patients.
The network will be run by a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Vedi, East Genomics, and the South West Genomic Medicine Service as the lead sequencing sites, and also involving the North Thames, North East and Yorkshire, and North West Genomic Medicine Services.
This Network of Excellence is one of several supported by NHS England. It has initially been funded for two years, with potential to be extended beyond this.