Glioblastoma targeted therapies are showing promise as medical experts shine the spotlight onto a deadly disease that has seen relatively low progress in treatment until recently.
The deadly form of brain cancer affects thousands, including Sen. John McCain, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Beau Biden and former N.Y. Mets catcher Gary Carter over the years, the Miami Herald noted.
McCain has fought a harsh and public battle with disease over the past few months, and about 25,000 more Americans are afflicted with glioblastoma each year yet.
In aggressive brain cancer, the survival rate may range from 10 percent to 32 percent even after surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy treatment.
Despite these alarming statistics, the Glioblastoma Foundation noted that the current treatment options are limited.
It appears things may be changing though.
The Miami Herald noted that there are more than 600 clinical trials underway nationwide that are targeting brain tumors and of those, at least 400 were specifically focusing on glioblastoma.
Such clinical trials are taking place at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital as well as Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where more than 20 researchers are working to find a cure.
Through advanced techniques, doctors are now able to perform neurosurgeries which, combined with new immunotherapies and targeted incisionless techniques are yielding positive results.
Dr. John Ragheb, a neurosurgeon and director of neurology at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, called recent advancements exciting.
"The delivery of targeted therapies directly to the region with no damage to the healthy tissue around it — that will be the big potential of these kinds of treatments," he said of new therapies, according to the Miami Herald.
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