In two early trials, blood cancer treatment appears promising for deadly brain tumor
Two early trials published Wednesday showed promise in treating one of the deadliest types of cancer, glioblastoma, using CAR-T therapy.
Two early trials published Wednesday showed promise in treating one of the deadliest types of cancer, glioblastoma.
The aggressive brain cancer, which took the lives of John McCain and Beau Biden, is only diagnosed at stage 4, and the five-year survival rate is around 10%.
The disease has no cure and, according to Dr. Michael Vogelbaum, chief of neurosurgery and program leader of neuro-oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, there have been no new drug approvals in the past two decades that have extended the lives of patients with glioblastoma.
The two clinical trials published Wednesday were extremely small, conducted on just nine patients in total, and much more research is needed, with larger trials, to determine how effective the therapy might be in the long run.
“All of these results are preliminary but encouraging,” said Vogelbaum, who wasn’t involved with either trial.
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