In a scientific breakthrough that brings renewed hope to patients with brain cancer, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California have announced encouraging results for a new triple-combination therapy that may revolutionize treatment for glioblastoma one of the most aggressive and challenging forms of cancer. This type of tumor is often inoperable, and patients typically survive no longer than eight months. However, the new study offers the possibility of extended survival and improved outcomes.
The innovative approach combines three treatments: low-intensity electric fields known as Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), the chemotherapy drug temozolomide, and the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab. TTFields are delivered directly to the tumor site using mesh electrodes placed on the scalp, worn for up to 18 hours a day. These fields disrupt cancer cell division and enhance the immune response.
Phase II clinical trials involving 31 patients revealed that the triple therapy increased median survival by 70% compared to standard treatments. The benefits were particularly significant for patients with inoperable tumors, who lived an average of 13 months longer. This discovery challenges prior assumptions about immunotherapy’s limited effectiveness in glioblastoma, which often resists such treatment due to the brain’s protective blood-brain barrier.
Interestingly, scientists found that larger tumors may actually trigger a stronger immune response, offering more cancerous tissue for the body to recognize and attack a concept referred to as a “local immune priming” effect. This in turn may allow immunotherapy to be more effective.
Researchers have already begun Phase III trials in collaboration with centers in the U.S., Europe, and Israel, aiming to confirm these results across a broader cohort of over 740 patients by 2029. The findings could mark a major shift in how glioblastoma is treated, especially for patients who do not qualify for surgical intervention.
This advancement represents a major step forward in the fight against brain cancer and a powerful reminder that innovation continues to light the way toward hope.
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