New Glioblastoma Treatment

1. Treatment for Glioblastoma By Cassie and Dylan

2. Glioblastoma One of the most common and vigorous type of brain tumors Even with the best treatment, almost always leads to death Hard to treat because lack of effective drugs and challenge of getting drugs to the brain

3. Current Treatments Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation are not very successful Tumor cells can be resistant to chemotherapy These types of therapy can damage other parts of the brain Many drugs are unable to cross the blood brain barrier to treat the tumor

4. Blood Brain Barrier Natural defense system, keeps out toxins and microbes The cells that line the walls of the capillaries of the brain are so tightly packed that it is hard for molecules in the bloodstream to go through and reach the brain tissue Keeps many tumor-fighting drugs out

5. Temodar Temozolomide – chemotherapy pill Goes through the blood brain barrier Has increased 2-year survival rate to 25% from 8% But new tumors continue to show up throughout the treatment

6. New Approach Uses a combo of new and old approaches Cancerous tumor is removed Insert microcatheters, flexible tubes, into the an artery in the groin up through blood vessels in the brain Insert mannitol(first used 20 years ago), takes some of the water out of the cells allowing them to shrink and create gaps, temporarily opening the barrier Allows for a higher dose of the Avastin, chemotherapy drug, to directly reach the tumor

7. Avastin - Endostatin Works in a similar way as Endostatin Stops angiogenesis, preventing cancer cells from getting nutrients and the growth of the tumors Unlike Endostatin, Avastin not only slows down the tumor growth, it also makes them disappear

8. Today Still in earliest phase Main concerns are to find out if it is safe to directly spray Avastin into brain and at what doses So far, treatment seems to erase any sign of recurring glioblastoma tumors But how long it will last is still unknown

9. Source http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17tumor.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&sudsredirect=true