The most common and aggressive brain cancer is glioblastoma. This cancer is difficult to treat because it is aggressive and invasive. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is only about 15 months.
There is some hope for patients with glioblastoma, however. Researchers are working on ways to make this cancer more vulnerable to treatment.
One approach is to use immunotherapy to target specific proteins that are overexpressed in glioblastoma cells. This treatment is still in clinical trials, but it is showing promise.
Another approach is to use targeted therapies to attack thecancer cells. This type of therapy is also still in clinical trials, but it is showing promise.
If you have been diagnosed with glioblastoma, talk to your doctor about these clinical trials. These new treatments offer hope for a better outcome.
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive type of brain cancer, with a median survival time of just over one year. Researchers at the University of Colorado Cancer Center have found that targeting a specific protein may make glioblastoma more vulnerable to treatment.
The protein, called STAT3, is known to be involved in the growth and spread of cancer. Inhibiting STAT3 has been shown to reduce the growth of various types of tumors in animal models.
The Colorado team found that inhibiting STAT3 in glioblastoma cells reduced their growth and increased their sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. The findings were published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
“Our results suggest that targeting STAT3 may be a promising strategy for treating glioblastoma,” said study co-leader Anil Potti, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “We are currently working on a clinical trial to test this approach in patients.”
The trial, which is expected to open later this year, will test the safety and efficacy of a STAT3 inhibitor in patients with glioblastoma.
“Glioblastoma is a very difficult disease to treat, and we need to explore every potential avenue to find new treatments,” said study co-leader Robert Weinsaft, MD, PhD, assistant professor of radiation oncology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “This is a promising avenue of research that we hope will one day lead to better outcomes for patients.”
