Cancer Gene Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Glioblastoma Multiforme

A breakthrough in cancer gene therapy has been reported, showing potential in treating glioblastoma multiforme, a malignant brain tumor with a poor prognosis. Researchers from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, conducted a case study involving a 37-year-old patient with two evident foci of glioblastoma multiforme. The patient received an injection of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) carrying the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene to the frontal focus of the tumor, followed by ganciclovir administration as a prodrug. The treatment resulted in a slight and unremarkable enhancement of the frontal focus and no prominent recurrence, while the parietal focus showed a recurrence and extension to the contralateral hemisphere. The patient's progression-free survival was 293 days, and overall survival was 513 days.

Key Takeaways:

• The use of bone marrow-derived MSCs carrying the HSV-tk gene showed a different pattern of growth and recurrence compared to the non-treated parietal focus.
• The treatment resulted in a significant reduction in tumor progression in the frontal focus, with 293 days of progression-free survival.
• The overall survival of the patient was 513 days, demonstrating the potential of cancer gene therapy in treating glioblastoma multiforme.
• The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene is a promising tool in cancer gene therapy, showing its ability to reduce tumor progression.
• The study highlights the importance of stem cell-based suicide gene therapy in treating glioblastoma multiforme.
• The patient's case demonstrates the feasibility of this treatment approach in a real-world setting.

Statistics:

• Progression-free survival (PFS) of 293 days for the treated frontal focus.
• Overall survival (OS) of 513 days for the patient.
• 14 days of ganciclovir administration as a prodrug after the injection of MSCs.
• The patient received an injection of MSCs on 09 February 2019.
• The last follow-up was on 18 March 2020.
• The patient passed away on 16 July 2020.

Sources:

• Frontiers in Neurology, 2023,14. (Frontiers in Neurology - http://frontiersin.org/neurology).
• Research team: Saeed Oraee-Yazdani, Mohammadhosein Akhlaghpasand, Fatemeh Rostami, Maryam Golmohammadi, Roozbeh Tavanaei, Gelareh Shokri, Maryam Hafizi, Maryam Oraee-Yazdani, Ali-Reza Zali, Masoud Soleimani.
• IRCT20200502047277N2. Registered 10 May 2020-Retrospectively registered, https://eng.irct.ir/trial/48110.