Nanoparticles extend glioblastoma survival in phase one trial

Despite decades of research to develop effective treatments, the median survival for glioblastoma—the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults—is just 15–18 months after diagnosis. One reason for this grim statistic is that these tumors invariably recur despite aggressive, multimodality treatments.

Although traditional radiation treatments can delay recurrence and extend survival, they often damage healthy brain tissue, negatively affecting quality of life. Preclinical research has suggested radiation-emitting nanoparticles targeting tumor-containing regions through convection enhanced delivery (CED), bypassing the blood-brain barrier, could effectively treat these tumors.

In a Phase I clinical trial reported in Nature Communications, two researchers from UT Southwestern and their colleagues showed this strategy was safe and effective. The team worked with 21 patients at medical centers, including UTSW, who had recurrent glioblastoma. They were divided into six groups, each of which received a different dose of radiation-emitting nanoparticles through CED. Patients who received the highest doses had tolerable side effects and lived an average of 17 more months after treatment, significantly longer than expected for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The authors suggest this strategy shows promise for improving treatments for these patients.

UTSW researchers who contributed to this study are Toral Patel, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, and Michael Youssef, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology. Drs. Patel and Youssef are members of the O’Donnell Brain Institute and the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UTSW.

Despite decades of research to develop effective treatments, the median survival for glioblastoma—the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults—is just 15–18 months after diagnosis. One reason for this grim statistic is that these tumors invariably recur despite aggressive, multimodality treatments.

Although traditional radiation treatments can delay recurrence and extend survival, they often damage healthy brain tissue, negatively affecting quality of life. Preclinical research has suggested radiation-emitting nanoparticles targeting tumor-containing regions through convection enhanced delivery (CED), bypassing the blood-brain barrier, could effectively treat these tumors.

In a Phase I clinical trial reported in Nature Communications, two researchers from UT Southwestern and their colleagues showed this strategy was safe and effective. The team worked with 21 patients at medical centers, including UTSW, who had recurrent glioblastoma. They were divided into six groups, each of which received a different dose of radiation-emitting nanoparticles through CED. Patients who received the highest doses had tolerable side effects and lived an average of 17 more months after treatment, significantly longer than expected for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. The authors suggest this strategy shows promise for improving treatments for these patients.

UTSW researchers who contributed to this study are Toral Patel, M.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, and Michael Youssef, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology. Drs. Patel and Youssef are members of the O’Donnell Brain Institute and the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UTSW.