New combination treatment in early trial stages offers hopes of cure for brain cancer

A British man may be the first in the world to be cured of advanced glioblastoma brain cancer by an experimental new therapy. The patient was told he may only have months to live, but twelve months on his tumour has disappeared and his recovery has been hailed by doctors as ‘extraordinary’.

He is one of ten patients with advanced glioblastoma brain cancer on a new combination treatment which is in early trial stages. Two of the patients have so far responded well to the treatment.

Study author and oncologist Dr Juanita Lopez, said “This is an extraordinary case considering how early on in the study we are. We believe our findings open the door to the further development of what could become game-changing treatment for some brain tumour patients.”

Glioblastoma, the most common form of brain tumour in the UK, has more than 2,000 case diagnosed each year, and has a notoriously poor prognosis, with patients usually only surviving for an average of 14 months after diagnosis.

It is currently one of the most deadly cancers, partly because of the speed the cancer spreads, but also because of a lack of available treatments.

Now, researchers at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research believe they may have found a breakthrough. The new treatment is a combination of drugs ipatasertib and atezolizumab, which help the immune system locate and destroy the cancer.

Dr Lopez said of the findings “These are still really early days in the research process and the next step is a larger trial. We’re looking to recruit more patients with advanced glioblastoma to take part and we need more funding. It’s possible we could be looking at a major step forward.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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