Two Drugs Used to Treat Other Cancers Have Positive Effect on Brain Tumors

A study suggests two drugs being used to treat other types of cancer can have a positive effect on certain kinds of brain tumors. Researchers also found a genetic mutation that they linked to at least some cases of glioblastoma, the most common form of brain tumor.

What is GBM?

There are more than 120 kinds of brain tumors. Brain tumors are not technically considered brain cancer, as they do not spread past the spinal cord or the brain unlike cancers, which can spread throughout the body. Glioblastomas account for approximately 9,000 newly diagnosed cases in the U.S. each year. It is also the most aggressive and least treatable form of brain tumor and is largely resistant to traditional treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. People diagnosed with GMB have an average survival time of 14 months.

What are the specifics of the study?

The study was conducted through the cooperative efforts of many teams in the U.S. and abroad. Scientists from the University of California, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and the San Diego School of Medicine collaborated with several other groups in Boston and South Korea. The research, which used mice, was published in the online version of the journal Cancer Research.

What did the research reveal about brain tumors?

The research highlighted the link between GBM and a gene known as epidermal growth factor receptor. A deletion mutation in a small segment of a molecule within EGFR is thought to cause cells to transform and become cancerous.

What are the drugs that were found to have potential in treating brain tumors?

The drugs in question specifically target EFGR. Cetuximab, which has the brand name Erbitux, is used in the treatment of some head and neck carcinomas, as well as in the treatment of colorectal cancer. The second drug is Erlotinib, which is distributed under the brand name Tarceva. It is used to treat pancreatic and lung cancers. Cetuximab proved more effective overall when tested in mice. Neither drug is effective in treating all GBM tumors and can have some unpleasant side effects, meaning the administration might have to be very selective.