A new study led by USC researchers cake medicine may have exposed an effective combination therapy for glioblastoma, which is a brain tumor diagnosis with some available effective treatments. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, the average existence for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma is eight months.
The study found that using tumor treatment fields therapy, which directly distributes the targeted waves of electric fields into the tumor to prevent its growth and indicates the body’s immune system to attack cancerous tumor cells, when the expansion of patients with glioblastomas indicates when the existence of the body can be combined when the existence is combined when the existence is combined when the existence is combined when it is combined. Is, immunotherapy (Pambrolizumbeb) and Chemotherapy (Tempozolomide).
TTFIELDs disrupt tumor growth using low intensity, pushing and drawing major structures inside tumor cells in constant shifting directions, which makes it difficult to multiply cells. By stopping the development of tumors, patients get a better opportunity to fight cancer successfully. When used to treat glioblastoma, TTFIELDs are distributed through a set of Aries electrodes that are strategically stationed on the skull, producing a field on an accurate frequency and intensity centered on the tumor. Patients wear electrodes about 18 hours a day.
Researchers noticed that TTFIELDs attract more tumor-fighting T cellsWhich are white blood cells that identify and attack cancer cells around and around glioblastoma. When chased by immunotherapy, these T cells remain active for a long time and are replaced by even stronger, more effective tumor-laying T cells.
By using TTFields with immunotherapy, we prime to mount an attack on cancer to the body, which enables immunotherapy to have a meaningful effect in ways that could not before. Our findings suggest that TTFields may be the key to unlocking the value of immunotherapy in the treatment of glioblastoma. ,
David Tran, MD, PhD, KK Medicine Head of Neuro-Ouncology, co-director of USC brain tumor center and compatible writer
TTFIELDs are often combined with chemotherapy in cancer treatment. However, even with aggressive treatment, the diagnosis of the disease for glioblastoma is poor. Immunotherapy, while successful in many other cancer types, has not proved to be effective even for glioblastoma when used on its own.
However, in this study, adding immunotherapy to TTFIELDS and chemotherapy was associated with a 70% increase in overall survival. In particular, patients with tumors showed a even more strong immune response for TTFILS and survived for longer. This suggests that, when it comes to kick-starting the body’s immune response against cancer, having a large tumor can provide more goals to work for therapy.
Using alternative electric fields to unlock immunotherapy
This study is the immunotherapy pembrolizube, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), which enhances the body’s natural ability to fight cancer by improving the ability of T cells to identify and attack cancer cells.
However, glioblastoma usually consists of some T cells because these tumors are produced in the brain and are preserved by the body’s natural immune response by blood-brain obstruction. This barrier keeps the brain tightly and protects which cells and substances enter the bloodstream. Sometimes, this barrier also blocks T cells and other treatments that can help kill the brain tumors.
Inside and around glioblastoma, it is a immunospressive atmosphere that makes normal cancer remedies such as pambrolizumab and chemotherapy quite effective in treating. Tran explained the best way to move around the issue that an approach known as insect vaccination using TTEFLIS was to initiate a immune response directly inside the tumor.
This study suggests that a combination of TTFLIDS with immunotherapy leads to a powerful immune response within the tumor – one that ICIS can then increase its defense of the body against cancer.
“Think like a team’s game – Immunotherapy sends players to attack tumors (crime), while TTFields weaken the tumor’s ability to fight back (defense). And like the team’s game, the best rescue is a good crime,” said, “Tran is also a member of the USC Noris Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Study Working and Results
The study analyzed 2-tops, a phase 2 clinical test data, nominating 31 newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients who completed the Camorediation Therapy. Among them, 26 received TTFLIS combined with both chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Seven of these 26 patients had passive tumors due to their locations – especially the worst disease diagnosis and some treatment options with high -risk subgroups.
In the test, patients were given six to 12 monthly treatment of chemotherapy with TTFIELDS for 24 months. The number of treatment and duration was determined by the response of patients for treatment. Immunotherapy was given every three weeks, which began for up to 24 months, with the second dose of chemotherapy.
Patients using the device with chemotherapy and immunotherapy lived about 10 months longer than patients who used the device with chemotherapy alone in the past. In addition, people with large, passive tumors lived about 13 months long and showed much strong immune activation compared to patients who passed through surgical removal of their tumors.
“This setting requires further studies to determine the optimal role of surgery, but these conclusions can provide hope, especially for glioblastoma patients who do not have surgery as an alternative,” Tran said.
Palate
KECK Medicine Multisenter Phase 3 is participating to verify in clinical trial Efficacy of TTFields with immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Tran, who have been researching TTFields for more than a decade, serve as the chairman of the Steering Committee for this test. The USC Noris is accompanied by Francis Chow, MD, Neuro-Ancologist, KK Medicine Study Site.
This phase 3 tests are currently open on 28 sites in the United States, Europe and Israel, which aims to enroll more than 740 patients through April 2029, including gross total affection, partially affection or biopsy-keval tumors, which affect how to assess how surgical removal removal response affects.
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Journal reference:
Chain, D., Et al(2025). One phase 2 study: one phase 2 study in newly diagnosed glioblastoma adjuvant ttfields plus pambrolizumbe and tempozolomide. Made, doi.org/10.1016/j.medj.2025.100708,