CHICAGO, July 21, 2026
Belay Diagnostics has announced the publication of a peer-reviewed clinical utility study demonstrating that its Summit 2.0™ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) liquid biopsy test significantly influenced physician decision-making in patients with primary and metastatic central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Published in The Journal of Liquid Biopsy and co-authored with researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the study found that Summit 2.0 influenced clinical decision-making in 86% of evaluated cases, while 96% of clinicians indicated they would order the test again. The findings reinforce the growing role of CSF-based liquid biopsy as a minimally invasive genomic testing approach capable of supporting diagnosis, treatment planning, and disease management for patients with brain and spinal cord malignancies, particularly when traditional tissue biopsy is not feasible or poses significant clinical risk.
Peer-Reviewed Study Demonstrates Strong Clinical Utility
The published mixed-methods study evaluated the clinical experience of 22 physicians, primarily neuro-oncologists, representing 17 healthcare institutions and involving 49 patients with both primary and metastatic CNS malignancies. According to the research, clinicians reported that Summit 2.0 contributed to clinical decision-making in 86% of cases, with 89.8% of physicians agreeing or strongly agreeing that the test demonstrated meaningful clinical utility. Importantly, no respondents disagreed with the test’s clinical value. The study found that the genomic information generated through CSF liquid biopsy helped physicians establish definitive diagnoses, guide therapeutic selection, improve patient and caregiver discussions, and support prognostic assessments. Researchers also noted that both positive and negative genomic findings provided clinically meaningful information, emphasizing that the absence of detectable variants remained valuable for patient management and treatment planning.
CSF Liquid Biopsy Supports Precision Neuro-Oncology
Developed using technology licensed from more than 10 years of scientific research at Johns Hopkins University, Belay Diagnostics has built a specialized portfolio of CSF liquid biopsy technologies, including Summit™ 2.0, Ascent™, and Vantage™, designed to improve the diagnosis and management of primary and secondary CNS malignancies. These proprietary molecular diagnostic tests provide clinicians with comprehensive genomic insights that support precision treatment planning while reducing the need for invasive neurosurgical procedures. The publication of this peer-reviewed study further strengthens the growing clinical evidence supporting CSF-based genomic testing and highlights the expanding role of liquid biopsy technologies in neuro-oncology. As healthcare providers increasingly adopt precision diagnostic tools, Summit 2.0 is positioned to play an important role in helping clinicians deliver more personalized, data-driven care for patients facing complex brain and spinal cord cancers.
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Advancing Molecular Diagnostics for CNS Tumors
Developed using technology licensed from more than 10 years of scientific research at Johns Hopkins University, Belay Diagnostics has built a specialized portfolio of CSF liquid biopsy technologies, including Summit™ 2.0, Ascent™, and Vantage™, designed to improve the diagnosis and management of primary and secondary CNS malignancies. These proprietary molecular diagnostic tests provide clinicians with comprehensive genomic insights that support precision treatment planning while reducing the need for invasive neurosurgical procedures. The publication of this peer-reviewed study further strengthens the growing clinical evidence supporting CSF-based genomic testing and highlights the expanding role of liquid biopsy technologies in neuro-oncology. As healthcare providers increasingly adopt precision diagnostic tools, Summit 2.0 is positioned to play an important role in helping clinicians deliver more personalized, data-driven care for patients facing complex brain and spinal cord cancers.
Source: Belay Diagnostics Press release
