Researchers at Keck Medicine, University of Southern California (USC) have discovered that combining immunotherapy with laser heat therapy could significantly extend the survival of individuals diagnosed with deadly brain cancers. The study, which involved patients with recurrent glioblastoma and other aggressive brain tumors, showed that the combination treatment led to a median overall survival of 12.5 months, compared to 8.8 months with standard care alone. This represents a 42% improvement in survival, a substantial gain for a patient population with typically poor prognoses.
The treatment involves a two-step process. First, a laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) procedure is used to heat and destroy the tumor from within. This generates tumor debris that can stimulate the immune system. Then, an immunotherapy drug called pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is administered to further activate the immune response against any remaining cancer cells. The researchers believe that the heat treatment essentially creates a vaccine-like effect within the body, making the immunotherapy more effective.
Dr. Gabriel Zada, director of the USC Brain Tumor Center and senior author of the study, stated, "This is a promising new approach for treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma and other aggressive brain tumors. By combining these two treatments, we are essentially using the body's own immune system to fight the cancer, and the early results are encouraging." The study, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, included 30 patients who underwent the combination therapy. The results showed that 40% of patients had stable disease or better at six months, and the median progression-free survival was 4.6 months.
Entities like CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) that are engaged in developing novel treatments for brain cancers may be particularly interested in these findings. The study highlights the potential of combination therapies to improve outcomes for patients with few options. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm these results and to explore which patients may benefit most from this approach.
The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Brain Tumor Association. The team at USC is now planning a larger, multi-center trial to validate the findings. For more information, visit the BioMedWire website.
