A Glimmer of Hope: CAR T Cell Therapy Shows Promise in Battling Glioblastoma

Saturday - March 23 2024, 05:33 UTC - 8 months ago

Recently, two studies have shown potential for CAR T cell therapy in treating glioblastoma, a deadly and untreatable form of brain cancer. CAR T cell therapy has been successful in treating blood cancers since 2017 and works by genetically engineering T cells to better target cancer cells. While not a cure, the recent trials have shown promising results and give hope for future treatments.

In 2020, my uncle was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer with limited treatment options. Despite rounds of chemotherapy, his tumors continued to grow and spread. It wasn't until he was offered a spot in a clinical trial for a new type of therapy that we saw a glimmer of hope.

The therapy, called CAR T cell therapy, has been revolutionary in treating blood cancers like leukemia. Essentially, a patient's T cells are taken and genetically engineered to better target cancer cells. This allows for a more effective and precise way to fight cancer from within the body.

But using CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors, like glioblastoma, has always been a challenge. The cancerous cells in these types of tumors form connections with neurons, making them difficult to remove surgically without causing harm to the brain. However, two recent studies have shown promise in using CAR T cell therapy to battle glioblastoma.

Led by Dr. Bryan Choi at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, these studies found that a single infusion of CAR T cells shrank tumors in several patients with recurrent glioblastoma. While the treatment was not a cure, it did slow the progression of the disease and in one case, a patient remained cancer-free beyond 6 months.

These results offer hope for those affected by glioblastoma, a disease that has long been considered untreatable. Further research and clinical trials are needed to fully understand the potential of CAR T cell therapy in battling solid tumors, but these initial findings are a promising step in the right direction.