Tear-based test could speed brain cancer diagnosis, study says

A Bolton man with an incurable brain tumour has donated his tears to a pioneering study that could revolutionise how brain cancers are detected. Alex Davies, 49, began suffering seizures in 2023 and was later diagnosed with glioblastoma after treatment for epilepsy. He has since undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and while follow-up scans initially suggested remission, the tumour has grown back and he is now receiving palliative care at home. The Manchester Cancer Research Centre project, backed by nearly £500,000 from Stand Up To Cancer, is testing whether tear fluid can identify glioblastoma, offering a potential faster, less invasive way to diagnose the disease.

Davies and his wife Emma describe the period leading to the diagnosis as a difficult, protracted ordeal. Davies recalls that it took months to obtain a proper diagnosis and that an initial MRI failed to reveal the tumour. "It took months to get to my diagnosis and my initial MRI scan didn't spot the tumour," he said. "If helping with this research could mean someone like me can be diagnosed sooner, it offers real hope for the future." Emma Davies said that, if a simple tear test could bring a diagnosis forward, it would "improve that awful time for so many others in the future." The study is conducted at the University of Manchester and has expanded to larger-scale trials thanks to the funding.

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Researchers describe the approach as a liquid biopsy and say it could pave the way for faster, cheaper and less invasive brain cancer diagnosis. Prof Petra Hamerlik, who leads the project, said the team is developing a tear-protein–based classifier that can differentiate brain cancer patients from healthy volunteers with high accuracy. "If successful, we'll seek further funding to develop a tool that can be rapidly deployed across health services, ultimately helping patients like Alex receive a timely diagnosis and better outcomes," she said.

The research, supported by Stand Up To Cancer—a joint Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 campaign—has grown from early-stage work into broader trials and aims to validate tear-based biomarkers that could be used in routine care. If the approach proves reliable, the test could be added to general practitioner (GP) workflows, enabling people to receive an earlier diagnosis and access to treatment options sooner. The project’s leaders emphasize that the work is exploratory and its success remains to be demonstrated in larger populations, but they emphasize the potential for a major shift in how brain cancers are detected and monitored.

Davies, who previously worked at Network Rail, says he hopes the research will help others avoid the delays and uncertainty he faced before his diagnosis. "My tears could help people survive brain tumours, and being part of this study is my way of making a difference," he said. Emma Davies added that a practical, noninvasive tear test could transform the patient journey for families dealing with similar diagnoses and spark earlier conversations with clinicians about imaging and follow-up.