A blood test may help find glioma without surgery
Original title: Extracellular vesicles redefine glioma detection.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
The blood markers were looked at in groups of people, but this is not an approved test you can get.
The short version
Researchers are testing a blood test that may spot a glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary and track it over time.
What was studied. Robinson and colleagues looked at tiny particles called extracellular vesicles found in blood plasma. They studied several types of information from these particles and used computer learning to sort the results. They tested this in more than one separate group of people.
What they found. The blood markers could tell apart people with a glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary from people without one. They also let the team follow how much tumor was there over time. The abstract does not give any counts or percentages for these results.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Today, doctors usually need brain surgery to know if someone has a glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary. This work suggests a blood test might one day help with that. It might also help doctors watch a tumor with less strain on the patient.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean a blood test can replace brain surgery now. It is early work that builds a base for future tests. No blood test like this is approved or offered in regular care. It is not a treatment, and it is not a cure. Talk with your own care team about the tests they use.
Source: PubMed, September 3, 2026 · Read the original
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