Drug Used for Leukemia Treatment May Also be Effective Against Glioblastoma

In a recent study, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center discovered that a drug similar to Gleevac (known for its effectiveness against chronic myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia), may also be effective in some cases of recurrent glioblastoma. The drug was specifically designed to target an abnormal molecule — a fusion of two normal cell proteins — that fuel a tumor’s growth. In the first human trial of the drug that targets half of the fusion protein, researchers analyzed two patients affected by recurrent glioblastoma, who responded with clinical improvement and radiological tumor reduction. The patients’ responses lasted 115 and 134 days, respectively. “This suggests that if we developed a drug that hits to fused protein more precisely, while leaving normal cells alone, we may get even better results,” said the lead author of the study. “The real test of that will have to wait for the development of such a drug and the clinical trials.” To read more about this study, click here.