In:
Neuro-Oncology, Oxford University Press (OUP), Vol. 22, No. Supplement_2 ( 2020-11-09), p. ii58-ii59
Abstract:
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant primary intracranial tumor and traditionally has a median survival of only 10 to 14 months, with only 3 to 5% of patients surviving more than three years. Recurrence (RGBM) is nearly universal, and further decreases the median survival to only 5 to 7 months with optimal therapy. Thus, advances in treatment that may improve survival in these patients are highly desirable. METHODS Tumor treating fields (TTFields) therapy (Novocure Ltd., Haifa, Israel) is an approved antimitotic treatment for patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM. TTFields are low-intensity (1–3 V/cm), intermediate-frequency (100–300 kHz) alternating electric fields that selectively kill or arrest the growth of rapidly dividing cells by inhibiting the proper formation of the mitotic spindle and by causing rapid membrane breakdown during cytokinesis. RESULTS Our center was the first in the world to apply TTFields treatment to histologically proven GBM in a pilot study of 20 individuals (10 GBM and 10 RGBM) in 2004 and 2005, and 4 of the original 20 patients are still alive today (2 GBM, 2 RGBM), in good health and no longer receiving any treatment roughly 15 years (range 14.2–15.9 years) after initiating TTFields therapy, with no clinical or radiological evidence of recurrence. The diagnosis of GBM was confirmed in all patients in two independent laboratories. Two of the 4 surviving patients exhibited radiological signs of tumor growth initially, before the tumor regressed in size after a median of 4 months of continuous treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that TTFields treatment may be remarkably successful for both newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM patients. We recommend that TTFields treatment should be applied for a sufficient amount of time, and that initial radiologic progression following treatment initiation should not be considered a reason to discontinue treatment.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1522-8517
,
1523-5866
DOI:
10.1093/neuonc/noaa215.236
Language:
English
Publisher:
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2094060-9
