Researchers Investigate New Treatments for Cancer That Killed Ted Kennedy

Senator Edward Kennedy died 15 months after being diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in 2008 — close to the median survival time for the disease. Researchers at two California-based biotechnology companies, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics Ltd. (IMUC) and Tocagen Inc., along with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, now are leading efforts to create drugs and treatments to fight the form of cancer that killed Kennedy, which is deadlier and spreads more quickly than any other.

New therapies hold out the promise of more than doubling the life expectancy of those who suffer from glioblastoma multiforme. The treatments are based on strategies that are growing in popularity among cancer scientists — using viruses and the body’s immune system to attack tumors. The approach may have broad implications for patients suffering from other forms of cancer with few current treatment options. For more information, click here to read the full article.