Brain Cancer has potential for new therapy

In the research appearing in Neuro-Oncology, Drs. Robert Prins and Linda Liau, both from the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California-Los Angeles, decitabine and genetically modified immune cells were tested as a combination in a continuation of previous research, which focused on decitabine against glioblastoma human cell cultures.
Their new work involved extracting and growing immune cells in culture, then reprogramming them with a gene known as New York Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, or NY-ESO-1.
The T cells were then injected back into tumor-bearing mice used as models of human brain cancer. This would produce an immune response to target the tumor.
Dr. Prins explains: "The lymphocytes will seek out and find the glioblastoma cells in the brain." The associate professor in the departments of neurosurgery and molecular and medical pharmacology adds:"While surgery to remove the main tumor mass can be done," continues Dr. Prins, "it is not possible to then locate the tumor cells that get away and this ultimately leads to a nearly universal tumor regrowth."
The new method proved about 50% effective against glioblastoma in the early-stage study. The next stage for the researchers will be to verify their findings in other brain tumor models.
If results from that were also promising, the researchers would proceed with clinical trials in people.