2024-03-23 06:23:29
(ANSA) – ROME, MARCH 20 – The possible effectiveness of the use of a CAR-T-based immunological therapy in patients suffering from recurrent glioblastoma is highlighted by an article in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’.
The publication – explains Giuseppe Lombardi, head of the Neuro-Oncology Unit at the Iov in Padua and coordinator of various experimental studies – reports the first results of a phase 1 study called ‘Incipient’, coordinated by the Dana-Faber/Harvard Cancer Center in Boston and describes the use of this new therapeutic method that uses CAR-Ts in three patients suffering from recurrent glioblastoma, previously treated with standard therapy. “The peculiarity of the study is in the use of cells from the patient’s own immune system, the T lymphocytes which are modified and capable of recognizing specific molecules present in tumor cells and in the creation and use of CAR-Ts which recognized two molecules present in the cells of glioblastoma, and not just one as performed in other studies, increasing its effectiveness”, underlines Lombardi.
“The very interesting thing is that all three patients reported a significant regression of the tumor lesion already the day after the treatment. The negative aspect, however – he continues – is that the disease recurred within 2 months of starting the treatment in two patients while in a third it remained stable with a follow-up of 150 days. The sore point – adds Lombardi – however, is that the duration of the response was very limited, less than that usually reported with treatments that are already used: it is the weak point of the study. It will be necessary to fully understand the molecular mechanisms” “The data are very preliminary and the road is still long but we have seen that it is a therapy with interesting potential to be investigated and improved. In my opinion, CARs -T are among the treatments that need to be strengthened not only for blood tumors but also for solid tumors as they could represent a valid therapy in the near future. Therefore, the inclusion of patients affected by glioblastoma in clinical trials remains fundamental” .
Glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive among malignant brain tumors in adults. Standard therapy consists of an initial surgery followed by a combination of radio and chemotherapy but the effectiveness of the treatment is limited and approximately 5-7% of patients survive 5 years after diagnosis while the return of the disease, the so-called relapse, it is a frequent occurrence. (HANDLE).
2024-03-23 06:23:29