Latest News

• Webinar recording available!        

  A recording of our webinar with Dr. Vijay Agarwal on sonodynamic therapy is now available on our website. If you or a loved one is newly diagnosed with glioblastoma and choosing not to wear Tumor Treating Fields (Optune), the trial discussed near the end of this webinar is worth considering. There are 8 trial sites in the United States and two trial sites in Germany. 

  
  
• Origins of Brain Cancer: Where IDH-Mutant Gliomas Begin        

  This is an interesting recent study suggesting that IDH-mutant gliomas may arise from glial progenitor cells that already carry the IDH mutation long before a tumor is visible on MRI. Rather than starting as a discrete mass, the disease appears to begin quietly within normal-appearing brain tissue, particularly in progenitor-rich regions of the cerebral cortex, and evolve over many years. The tumor that is eventually diagnosed may therefore reflect not the true point of origin, but the site where these early mutated cells replicate into a detectable mass. In contrast, IDH-wildtype gliomas are thought to originate from neural stem cells in the subventricular zone, a deeper brain region where new neurons are generated. Because these cells are inherently more proliferative and biologically unstable, IDH-wildtype tumors tend to declare themselves much more rapidly.

  This new study strengthens the idea that different glioma subtypes arise from different cells of origin and follow distinct developmental paths. While compelling, the results will still need confirmation by other groups in larger cohorts. From a practical standpoint, the visible tumor remains the dominant and most aggressive population of cancer cells, but the hope is that future treatment strategies will combine aggressive local therapy at the tumor site with smarter surveillance and systemic treatments for preventing new growth from the deeper roots of the disease.  

  
  
• Bevacizumab enhances overall survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with high COX-2 expression        

  This retrospective study from Japan analyzed 50 patients with newly diagnosed, IDH-wildtype glioblastoma (GBM), of whom 18 received temozolomide (TMZ) alone and 32 received TMZ plus bevacizumab as part of initial therapy; most patients in the TMZ-only group later received bevacizumab at first recurrence. Most patients in the study also received carmustine (aka BCNU or Gliadel) wafer implantation at surgery. Overall, adding bevacizumab upfront improved progression-free survival (PFS) but not overall survival, consistent with prior trials. When patients were stratified by tumor COX-2 expression, those with high COX-2 expression experienced significantly longer PFS and overall survival when bevacizumab was given upfront compared with TMZ alone (median PFS 22 v 8 months; median OS 25 vs 18 months), while no benefit was observed in patients with low COX-2 expression (median PFS 12 vs 15 months; median OS 24 vs 26 months). These results are biologically plausible and suggest that COX-2 may help identify a subset of newly diagnosed patients who benefit from early bevacizumab; however, given the retrospective design, small sample size, treatment crossover, use of BCNU wafers, and potential subjectivity of the immunohistochemistry biomarker scoring, these findings should be followed up with prospective validation. Also, the results may not apply to recurrent disease, where prior therapies can substantially alter tumor angiogenic biology.   

  
  
• Penn State advances pediatric cancer research through new targeted therapy collaboration        

  We are very excited to see this news about GB13! The Musella Foundation helped get initial research for this therapy started more than a decade ago, with grant funding provided in 2010 and 2012. Now, the company behind GB13, Targepeutics, is collaborating with Penn State College of Medicine, the Beat Childhood Cancer Research Consortium, and Four Diamonds to complete the final preclinical work needed to submit an FDA application and begin a Phase I/II clinical trial for children with DIPG.

  GB13 is an investigational immunotoxin that uses a precision-targeting approach to attack tumor cells expressing IL13Ra2, a receptor commonly found on brain tumors but rarely on normal brain tissue. The preclinical evidence supporting GB13 is very strong, and the therapy received Rare Pediatric Disease Designation (RPDD) from the FDA last year. We hope to see this therapy advance to trial soon.

  
  
• FDA Adds Brain Tumor Warning to Depo-Provera Birth Control Shot        

  The FDA has approved a new safety warning for the birth control shot Depo-Provera, adding label language about a possible increased risk of meningioma. The update follows growing evidence, similar warnings already issued in Europe and Canada, and comes amid lawsuits alleging Pfizer failed to warn patients of the potential risk earlier. Depo-Provera is widely used in the U.S., making this an important development for patient awareness and informed decision-making.