Study explains brain cancers’ poor response to immunotherapy.
Study explains brain cancers' poor response to immunotherapy.
New Research Sheds Light on Immunotherapy and Brain Tumors
Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have recently made significant progress in understanding why certain cancerous brain tumors respond well to immunotherapy, while others do not. The study, conducted at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of immunotherapy in treating brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma – an aggressive cancer that originates in the brain.
Immunotherapy has shown promise in treating tumors that have spread to the brain from other parts of the body. However, glioblastoma has proven to be resistant to this treatment. The researchers aimed to explore the anti-tumor immune response in cancers that respond well to immunotherapy, such as those originating outside the brain, and compare it to the immune response in glioblastoma. Their findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Dr. Robert Prins, a senior study author and professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, explained that tumors that originate outside the brain experience an “activation” process where T cells, crucial white blood cells responsible for the immune response, are primed by lymph nodes. This activation process aids in immunotherapy’s ability to attack the tumor. In contrast, glioblastoma, originating in the brain itself, lacks this priming characteristic.
To improve treatments for glioblastoma, the researchers suggest attempting to recreate the activation process observed in tumors originating outside the brain. This process involves generating dendritic cells in the lab, exposing them to tumor-specific proteins, and reintroducing them into the patient.
One notable distinction between glioblastoma and other cancerous brain tumors is the blood-brain barrier. This protective barrier inhibits the passage of substances, including some drugs for treating brain tumors. Dr. Wael Harb, a hematologist and medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute, emphasizes the need for novel strategies to overcome this challenge. He also highlights the genetic diversity of brain tumors, which can contribute to their resistance to therapy. Personalized treatments tailored to each patient’s tumor profile, along with continuous monitoring, are necessary.
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Early detection and monitoring of brain tumors remain significant challenges. Currently, there is a lack of reliable and non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing brain tumors at an early stage and tracking their response to therapy. Overcoming these challenges could greatly improve survival rates.
Despite the difficulties associated with glioblastoma, experts remain optimistic about the progress being made. Dr. Naveed Wagle, a neuro-oncologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, believes that new therapies with greater efficacy are just around the corner. The UCLA study has contributed valuable insights to the existing body of knowledge on glioblastoma and brings us closer to finding more effective treatments in the future.
In conclusion, the recent research conducted at UCLA sheds light on why some brain tumors respond favorably to immunotherapy while others do not. The study highlights the importance of understanding the differences between immune responses in tumors originating outside the brain versus those in glioblastoma, which originates in the brain itself. Further research, along with early intervention and personalized therapies, offers hope for improving survival rates and developing more effective treatments for glioblastoma and other challenging brain cancers. While there is still much ground to cover, the discoveries made by UCLA researchers bring us closer to finding novel therapies and potential breakthroughs in the near future.
References: – Medical News Today. (2023, August). New research sheds light on why some brain tumors respond to immunotherapy while others don’t. Retrieved from /articles/new-research-sheds-light-on-why-some-brain-tumors-respond-to-immunotherapy-while-others-dont
