Question about GBM treatments?

Specialties Oncology

Published

I need to find out more about GBM (glioblastoma) brain tumors, and current treatments. Situation is patient has just had a GBM (primary CA) removed from occipital lobe, will undergo radiation and low-dose oral chemo. Chemo will be ongoing, scans q2mos until the tumor reappears--it is expected to grow again in approx a year, to year and a half. At THAT time, while sx is option, radiation is not. Prognosis, therefore, is not good.

Someone mentioned that Johns Hopkins is doing something now with nano treatments....? Something that might not require a traditional "cutting" sx, but instead something....else?

Anyone know more about this?

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I don't know if this is what you're thinking of:

Philadelphia CyberKnife - Cancer Treatment Using the Image-guided CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery System

Hmmm....interesting! Yes, this is where my mind was wandering. Thanks for link!

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Error--sorry.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America have a NanoKnife, but I think that's more for tumors on the liver, pancreas, GB, etc.

Duke is doing a lot with gbm. Your patient should check w them. I have a friend w gbm and she saw them for advice but then ended up decided to be treated and followed locally. Blessings to your patient.

Duke is doing a lot with gbm. Your patient should check w them. I have a friend w gbm and she saw them for advice but then ended up decided to be treated and followed locally. Blessings to your patient.

Good to know....I'm making sure pt has all the info I can find, thank you kindly!

Specializes in Pedi.

GBM has an incredibly poor prognosis no matter what. Median survival is about 12 months. Standard treatment is surgical resection followed by radiation and concomitant temozolomide. Temozolomide has actually improved survival but the prognosis is still very poor. In general, you only radiate the brain once which is why radiation will not be an option when the tumor recurs.

I had a patient last year who was on a phase I clinical trial studying the use of a viral vector in the treatment of glioblastoma. Basically, they inject a viral vector directly into the tumor and then treat the patient with an oral antiviral (in this patient's case it was valacyclovir)... the idea is that the valacyclovir will attack the virus and will kill the tumor that is harboring the virus. In this patient's case, she died 10 months after diagnosis and she was also treated with radiation, avastin and antineoplaston at the Burzynski clinic in Houston.

Here's a link to the viral vector study:

Phase 1b Study of AdV-tk + Valacyclovir Combined With Radiation Therapy for Malignant Gliomas - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

RNsRWe: I have a friend who works in oncology @ Hopkins. I'll see what she has to offer.

Thank you both for the information. I'm going to check out that link, Kel...

Been reading about something called CyberKnife, in Philadelphia. Not sure if it's applicable, but it's at least something to discuss.

Great post Kel.....very informative.

+ Add a Comment