University of California San Diego recently began to administer a new radiation therapy for brain cancer treatment that slows down tumor regrowth and protects healthy tissue in the brain. UC San Diego neurosurgeon Marc Schwartz stated that this new therapy could help improve the quality of life of some patients and extend their lifespan.
Data from the American Cancer Society shows that more than 25,000 individuals are diagnosed with malignant brain cancer in America annually. Aggressive brain tumors have a high chance of recurrence and are usually resistant to treatment.
The new approach, which has been approved by the FDA, is known as the GammaTile. It uses brachytherapy, or small therapeutic radiation seeds, that are introduced to the site of the tumor during surgery. These seeds are then absorbed by a patient’s body naturally to treat recurrent and malignant brain tumors such as meningiomas, glioblastomas and gliomas.
Each seed contains a dose of radiation that is held in a collagen tile; the seeds work together to deliver targeted and precise radiation therapy. Once the radiation is delivered, it begins to target cancerous cells in the region where the tumor may likely regrow.
The seed is absorbed into the body after the radiation is released. A trial that evaluated the therapy’s effectiveness found that this novel approach afforded patients almost two times as many months tumor free. This is in comparison to previous therapies administered in patients with brain tumors located in the same region.
The currently used standard of care for brain tumor patients entails the removal of tumors surgically. This is followed by supplemental therapy, which includes chemotherapy and radiation. Conventional radiation is usually delivered in doses, which can be administered over a several-week period.
Parag Sanghyi, a Moores Cancer Center radiation oncologist, stated that the radiation sessions which brain cancer patients underwent could be time consuming and stressful. Sanghyi noted that the center’s novel radiation therapy would allow experts to offer an alternative treatment option to some patients with brain tumors that recur, adding that the therapy would minimize additional radiation dosage to brain tissue that had received radiation therapy previously.
The team of experts at the Moores Cancer Center offers extensive treatment options for cancers of the skin, head and neck, an d breast, as well gynecologic cancers, ocular melanomas and sarcomas.
UC San Diego is committed to providing patients who have brain cancer with the most effective and innovative treatments available. The hospital is ranked the 20th and 21st for cancer and neurosurgery and neurology care respectively, out of more than 4,500 hospitals in America.
Other companies, such as CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP), are also making headway in developing cancer therapies that are organ specific. There is hope that the grim prognoses faced by brain cancer patients will change for the better as these novel treatments are approved by the FDA and made available to those who need them.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/CNSP
About BioMedWire
BioMedWire (BMW) is a bio-med news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via InvestorWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to millions of social media followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with BMW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, BMW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, BMW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. BMW is where news, content and information converge.
To receive SMS text alerts from BioMedWire, text “Biotech” to 844-397-5787 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.BioMedWire.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
BioMedWire (BMW)
San Francisco, California
www.BioMedWire.com
415.949.5050 Office
Editor@BioMedWire.com
BioMedWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.