Biomarker Predicts Effectiveness of Brain Cancer Treatment

Findings from a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine identified a new biomarker that predicts whether glioblastoma will respond to chemotherapy. “Every patient diagnosed with glioblastoma is treated with a chemotherapy called temozolomide. About 15 percent of these patients derive long-lasting benefit,” said the study’s lead investigator. “All therapies involve risk and the possibility of side effects. Patients should not undergo therapies if there’s no likelihood of benefit.” To pinpoint which patients were most likely to respond to temozolomide, the researchers studied microRNAs that control the expression of a proteins called methyl-guanine-methyl-transferase, or MGMT, which dampens the cancer-killing effect of temozolomide. The study showed that a signature of the MGMT-regulating microRNAs predicted temozolomide response in a cohort of glioblastoma patients, establishing a foundation for microRNAs-based therapies to increase the efficacy of temozolomide. To read more about this study, click here.