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STAT3 as a target in H3K27M-mutant DMGs

Researchers discovered the STAT3 signaling pathway as a potential target for treating H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs), a uniformly lethal central nervous system malignancy. The current standard of care, including palliative radiation and chemotherapy, remains ineffective in this disease.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalOncotarget·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateOct 10, 2023

HKUST-led research unveils early predictors of glioma evolution by CELLO2, a self-constructed machine-learning model

A research team led by HKUST developed an AI-powered model to predict glioma patients' prognosis and identify early predictors of tumor evolution under therapy. The model, CELLO2, uses genomic and transcriptomic data from 544 glioma patients to accurately predict treatment-induced hypermutation and grade progression.

SourceHong Kong University of Science and Technology·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 10, 2023

Microdevices implanted into tumors offer new way to treat brain cancer

Researchers have developed a device that can be implanted into tumors during surgery to test new treatments, providing unprecedented insight into the effects of drugs on glioma tumors. The device, which is designed to be used during standard of care surgery, caused no adverse effects on patients in a phase 1 clinical trial.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateSep 6, 2023

Gene therapy for brain tumor shows promising early results in humans

A new study from the University of Michigan Department of Neurosurgery and Rogel Cancer Center shows promising early results that a therapy combining cell-killing and immune-stimulating drugs are safe and effective in extending survival for patients with gliomas, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer. The treatment improved survival...

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalThe Lancet Oncology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 31, 2023

Study finds improved survival for incurable brain tumor, providing ‘a crack in the armor’

Researchers at Michigan Medicine have discovered a potential treatment for diffuse midline glioma, a type of childhood brain tumor with no effective treatments. The compound ONC201 nearly doubled survival rates in patients with the disease, and the underlying mechanism behind its success has been explained.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalCancer Discovery·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateAug 16, 2023

New discovery can help detect brain tumors

Researchers have made a significant finding in detecting brain tumors by exploiting folate receptors. Folate receptor expression is significantly higher in glioma tissue compared to adjacent healthy brain tissue, presenting a promising target for future treatments.

SourceUniversity of Turku·JournalFrontiers in Immunology·DateJun 15, 2023

Clinical trial points to treatment advances for glioma patients for first time in decades

A phase 3 clinical trial by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has shown vorasidenib significantly prolongs progression-free survival and delays radiation and chemotherapy for patients with Grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma. Treatment with vorasidenib can delay cognitive dysfunction in patients and preserve their quality of life.

SourceDana-Farber Cancer Institute·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 4, 2023

ASCO: Targeted therapy for early breast cancer, progress treating recurrent glioma, PSMA PET scan advances and more

Researchers from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are presenting findings on combination therapies for breast cancer and a potential new treatment for patients with recurrent glioma. A phase 3 study evaluating vorasidenib versus placebo in patients with residual or recurrent grade 2 glioma with an IDH1/2 mutation is also be...

Artificial intelligence predicts genetics of cancerous brain tumors in under 90 seconds

Researchers developed an AI-based diagnostic screening system called DeepGlioma to analyze tumor specimens and detect genetic mutations rapidly. The system identified molecular subgroups with high accuracy and has the potential to improve access and speed of diagnosis for patients with deadly brain tumors.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalNature Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 23, 2023

Artificial intelligence tool developed to help make real-time diagnoses during surgery

A new AI tool developed by Brigham and Women's Hospital improves the accuracy of time-critical pathology diagnostics during surgery. The tool, which leverages deep-learning technology, translates frozen tissue samples into high-quality images, increasing diagnostic accuracy and reducing the need for lengthy laboratory tests.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeObservational study·DateDec 23, 2022

What does a diffuse midline glioma look like?

A study using spatial single-cell transcriptomics reveals the spatial organization of cancer cells in patient tissues across ages and locations. The research highlights age- and location-dependent differences in tumor biology, suggesting that kids and adults with diffuse midline gliomas may need different treatments.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalNature Genetics·DateDec 5, 2022

Unraveling the biology behind aggressive pediatric brain tumor reveals potential new treatment avenue

Researchers developed a mouse model of pediatric glioma with a histone mutation called H3.3-G34, revealing a promising outlook for long-term survival through radiation therapy combined with small-molecule inhibitors. The treatment approach also showed immune memory, allowing mice to eliminate new tumor growth without additional treatment.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 15, 2022

Researchers identify specific alterations in the BRAF gene that may affect response to treatment and survival in adult brain cancers

The study found that BRAF alterations, particularly Class I mutations like v600E, are associated with improved overall survival in adults with glioma. However, the effectiveness of targeted therapies depends on the specific type and combination of genetic alterations driving the cancer.

SourceEuropean Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 26, 2022

STTR Award to LSU Health New Orleans spin-out company to develop new class of anticancer drugs for glioblastoma

WayPath Pharma has been awarded a $225,000 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award to develop new metabolic drugs targeting tumor stem cells and crossing the blood-brain barrier. The funding aims to advance treatment options for glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options.

Investigational blood tests can detect multiple signs of brain cancer to help improve diagnosis and monitoring

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have developed a blood test that can detect multiple mutations associated with brain cancer, including EGFRvIII. The test showed high sensitivity and specificity, making it a powerful tool for diagnosing gliomas and monitoring tumor progression.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalClinical Cancer Research·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2022

Joint final report of Phase III trials demonstrate positive outcomes from combination of PCV chemotherapy and RT in patients with anaplastic oligodendroglial tumors

Updated long-term results from Phase III trials demonstrate significant benefits from combining procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine chemotherapy with radiation therapy for patients with anaplastic oligodendrogliomas. Patients with chromosome 1p19q codeleted tumors experienced improved overall survival and progression-free survival.

SourceNRG Oncology·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateJun 28, 2022

Pediatric cancer patients in lower- and middle-income countries faced significantly higher mortality risk during the COVID-19 pandemic

Pediatric cancer patients from lower- and middle-income countries faced a higher risk of all-cause mortality than those in high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that patients in LMICs had 35.7 times the risk of all-cause mortality compared to those in HICs.

Spinal fluid sampling used to track treatment response in pediatric glioma

Researchers collected hundreds of cerebrospinal fluid samples from patients with Diffuse Midline Glioma, tracking changes in cell-free tumor DNA over time. The findings suggest that this method could provide data about tumors sooner than MRIs alone, allowing clinicians to address aggressive brain cancer more effectively.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalNeuro-Oncology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2022

Glioma invasion may be affected by the parietooccipital fissure and white matter fibers rather than being a random phenomenon

Research reveals that the parietooccipital fissure acts as an obstacle to glioma invasion, with tumor cells making a detour around it. This finding highlights the importance of this fissure in determining the invasion pattern of posterior medial temporal gliomas.

SourceJournal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group·JournalJournal of Neurosurgery·TypeObservational study·DateDec 14, 2021

Asthma may reduce risk of brain tumors -- but how?

Researchers found that asthma causes immune cells to behave in a way that prevents brain tumor growth, suggesting a potential new therapeutic approach. The findings suggest reprogramming T cells to act like those in asthma patients could be a new treatment for brain tumors.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 10, 2021

Hopkins Med news update

Researchers discovered that new mutations in the BRAF gene can lead to gliomas growing back after treatment, suggesting personalized approaches to therapy. The study also explored potential impacts of COVID-19 vaccines on menstruation.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateSep 23, 2021

How "paralyzed" immune cells can be reactivated against brain tumors

Scientists discover a way to reactivate paralyzed immune cells against IDH-mutant gliomas, leading to improved vaccine effectiveness. The researchers identified the molecular mechanism behind the 'immune paralysis' caused by cancer-promoting metabolic products and found a substance that deactivates a key immune system regulatory molecule.