Preventing Brain Cancer Recurrence May Be Possible

brain cancerNow researchers at the Stanford School of medicine may hold out fresh hope for those who have a deadly form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. According to this report, the study has been carried out on mice and may be a significant development for humans as well.

This type of brain cancer is seen to show some response to radiation treatment; however it is always seen to return. This study could be particularly significant because this cancer has very low survival rates; usually only about 2 years after diagnosis.

It was discovered that tumors that were subject to radiation created back up pathways to have nutrients delivered to feed the tumor since the radiation destroyed their primary blood supply. This study is significant in that it has managed to figure out how to block this secondary or back up growth process so that nourishment is not delivered to feed the tumor and it can be starved subsequent to undergoing radiation.

It may however be premature to rejoice about the finding, since it is unlikely that the study will be carried out on humans in a hurry. The process still has to meet FDA approval, which is still years away.

Source: stanforddaily