Boosting Brain Cancer Survival: An Unexpected Ally

Hey folks! Did you know that there’s a surprising way to improve the chances of surviving brain cancer? It turns out that an old anti-anxiety drug could be the key to enhancing the effectiveness of chemo-radiotherapy for glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and deadly form of brain cancer. Brain cancers are particularly devastating, especially among young people, and they often resist traditional cancer treatments.

A recent study published in the journal Science Advances by researchers from Flinders University in Australia shed light on a potential breakthrough. They discovered that cerebrospinal fluid, the clear liquid that protects the brain, actually reduces the effectiveness of current brain cancer treatments. This fluid may also be a contributing factor to the resistance of brain cancers to therapy.

To investigate further, the researchers collected tumour cells from 25 local patients with glioblastoma and tested the impact of cerebrospinal fluid on their growth. Shockingly, the tumour cells quickly adapted and became more resistant to radiation and the drug temozolomide, which are commonly used in glioblastoma therapy.

Cedric Bardy, an Associate Professor at Flinders, expressed his frustration with the current treatments for glioblastoma. He said, ‘Glioblastoma kills so many otherwise healthy and young individuals within months. The available treatments are just not effective enough, despite the serious side effects they bring.’

However, there is hope on the horizon. The study revealed that a class of drugs, including an anti-anxiety medication called trifluoperazine, could potentially be repurposed to improve the standard of care for glioblastoma patients. Trifluoperazine was first used in the 1950s and has shown promising results in re-sensitising glioblastoma cells to radiation and temozolomide.

What’s even more exciting is that trifluoperazine does not harm healthy brain cells. This means that combining it with standard treatments could potentially enhance the survival rate of GBM patients without causing additional harm.

The researchers are now working hard to conduct a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of trifluoperazine in combination with current therapies. If successful, this could be a game-changer in the fight against glioblastoma.

So, there you have it! A surprising ally in the battle against brain cancer has emerged. With further research and clinical trials, we may soon see a significant improvement in the survival chances of those affected by glioblastoma. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for a breakthrough!