A major breakthrough in treating glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, was reported in March 2024. Using a modified CAR-T cell therapy—typically used for blood cancers—researchers from Mass General Brigham achieved rapid and dramatic tumor reduction in a small trial.
CAR-T therapy uses a patient’s immune cells, reprogrammed to attack cancer. In this study, doctors combined a version of CAR-T with antibodies to treat three patients. Results were striking:
* One patient’s tumor shrank by 18.5% in two days and 60.7% by day 69.
* Another saw rapid tumor regression.
* A third showed near-complete tumor disappearance just five days after treatment.
Dr. Bryan Choi explained the approach targets more types of cancer cells within solid tumors, offering broader treatment potential. While promising, the trial involved only three patients, and more research is needed.
Still, researchers say it’s a hopeful sign for treating solid tumors, with the long-term goal of finding a true cure.
