A PROMISING treatment strategy for glioblastoma has been unveiled in a significant breakthrough that addresses the urgent need for effective therapeutic options. Glioblastoma is a lethal form of brain cancer with a median survival rate of just 12-16 months post-diagnosis. Despite existing surgical, radiation, and chemotherapy options, the 2-year survival rate for patients is below 10%.
Two primary challenges complicate effective glioblastoma treatment: the limited ability of anti-tumor drugs to penetrate glioblastoma tissues due to the blood-brain barrier, and the rapid development of resistance by glioblastoma cells to nearly all available therapies.
Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James and Richard J. Solove Research Institute have conducted groundbreaking research which addresses these major challenges. Of the study, Deliang Guo, professor at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and lead author, said: “In a major finding of our study, we discovered that combining the brain-penetrating antipsychotic drug pimozide with a clinically investigational glutamine metabolism inhibitor, CB-839, can overcome tumor resistance and effectively suppress glioblastoma growth.”
The study included data 223 glioma patient samples and included a preclinical mouse model. Their findings revealed that glioblastoma cells increase glutamine consumption and lipid production simultaneously to fuel rapid tumor growth. Guo noted, “Pimozide effectively curbs the release of cholesterol and fatty acids from lipid droplets via inhibition of lysosomal function. These effects are expected to starve tumor cells of essential lipid building blocks.” However, pimozide alone does not yield the desired efficacy against glioblastoma due to glioblastoma’s upregulation of glutamine uptake.
The research team believes their findings will have a profound impact across multiple fields, including cancer biology and treatment models. “This innovative combination may also be beneficial for treating other cancers reliant on glutamine and lipids, extending its potential impact beyond this deadly brain cancer.”
Reference: The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Study explores novel therapeutic treatment for glioblastoma. 2024. Available at: https://cancer.osu.edu/news/study-explores-novel-therapeutic-treatment-for-glioblastoma. Last accessed: October 11, 2024.
Anaya Malik | AMJ
