Scientists may have discovered a ground-breaking new brain tumor therapy that can stop one of the most aggressive types of cancer.
Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive types of brain cancer known to man. For many, the chance of survival is often low. However, a new type of brain tumor therapy could help change things for the better. The therapy, which relies on destroying the “power source” of the cancer, has shown considerable success in mice. The scientists are hopeful it will work the same in humans.tumors.
Normally doctors would use chemotherapy to target the tumors directly. However, by removing brain cells called Astrocytes, scientists found they could starve out glioblastoma tumors in mice. Further, the tumors remained gone for as long as the astrocytes were repressed. And, even when they stopped suppressing, Dr. Lior Mayo, lead author on the study, says that 85 percent of mice stayed in remission.
However, all the mice allowed to keep their astrocytes active died in the study. Based on this information, the scientists on the study believe that the astrocytes, which enter an unusually active state when glioblastoma tumors are present, are a major power source for the cancer. So, removing it from the equation with this brain tumor therapy could let us fight the cancer better in humans, too.
With all of this information now uncovered, the scientists hope to find a medicine that can suppress astrocytes more in human brains. If they can find one, it could make presenting a workable brain tumor therapy much easier in the long run. Of course, not all successful animal tests can translate to the human body well, so it will take some time to see how the process plays out.
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