A new “miracle” gel shows great promise for brain tumour treatment during lab tests at Johns Hopkins University. The gel is used to treat one of the most aggressive forms of brain tumour, glioblastoma, leaving patients with a diagnosed life expectancy of 12 – 18 months. The new treatment is used post-surgery to fill the spaces left by the removed tumour, hindering it from regrowing!
Professor Cui, a chemical and biomolecular engineering expert, and his team suggest that the gel could potentially be utilized for treating brain areas that are inaccessible through surgery. Apart from this, experiments conducted on mice with infections have demonstrated that the gel eliminated the aggressive tumor completely, saving them from certain death. Additionally, the gel appeared to trigger an immune response, enabling surviving mice to defend against glioblastoma when reinfected, relying solely on their immune system. It also exhibited indications of enhancing immune memory, resulting in an overall strengthened immune system after treatment.
The medical procedure remains perilous even with the recent advancement, as it necessitates brain surgery for the gel to function optimally, requiring direct application to the brain. Implementing the gel without prior surgery resulted in a survival rate of approximately 50 percent.
For those interested in the science behind the miracle: the gel uses a combination of nano-sized filaments, extracted from the approved drug paclitaxel which then transports the antibody called aCD47. The mixture then expands upon the crevice that the tumour left, leaving the aggressive cancer with no room to regrow, thereby killing it off.
Brain Tumour Treatment: Glioblastoma – aggressive and everywhere
Glioblastoma poses significant risks due to several factors. Firstly, the tumor grows rapidly and invades nearby tissue, making surgical removal more challenging. Additionally, the brain’s protective mechanism called the blood brain barrier (BBB) further complicates treatment. While the BBB prevents harmful substances from entering the brain, it also restricts the effectiveness of cancer medications, making treatments less successful.
The positioning of glioblastoma in the human brain further complicates its treatment since it typically occurs in the cerebral hemispheres. These hemispheres play a crucial role in essential functions like movement, sensation, and cognition. Consequently, surgical intervention becomes more hazardous as damaging healthy brain tissue can result in severe neurological issues.
There are individuals who reject scientific evidence and subscribe to conspiracy theories in an effort to promote an agenda against science.
Medicine has made significant progress in the last century. It has evolved from using experimental drugs like heroin and cocaine for treatments to the breakthrough development of the first successful polio vaccine in 1955 by Dr. Jonas Salk, which eradicated the fear of infantile paralysis.
The recent advancements in medicine have been incredibly impressive. Science has achieved one breakthrough after another, from successfully treating patients with HIV, a previously incurable disease that was considered fatal, to effectively containing a worldwide pandemic within just two years of its emergence.
The advancements of modern science are leading to extended and healthier lifespans for humanity. However, the security and progress achieved through scientific research have recently faced criticism. Individuals who deny science and believe in conspiracy theories are attempting to promote an anti-science agenda. They discredit established scientific facts as false or “fake news” and claim that scientists are influenced by a secretive elite or some other false belief. This is simply because scientific evidence does not support their opinions on certain matters. In today’s era of easily accessible information, it is crucial to rely on credible sources and research in order to stay well-informed. Therefore, it is important to respect and safeguard legitimate scientific research from unfounded attacks, similar to the ones witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Without modern science, life as we currently know it would be significantly shorter and less enjoyable, as exemplified by the case of Glioblastoma.