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Could Supplements Complement Radiotherapy For Glioblastoma?
There are many different types of brain tumours, but a glioblastoma is among the most aggressive of all. This means that finding improved ways to treat it is a high priority.
Radiotherapy is used extensively in treatment, but a new development may bring a more multi-dimensional approach.
Early symptoms indicating the possible presence of a glioblastoma include:
Such symptoms are commonly caused by tumours becoming enlarged to the point where they start to press on areas of the brain or nerves, impeding normal functions.
These symptoms may have other causes, including different types of glioma, including astrocytoma, which also arise from the astrocytes but are not as aggressive. Anyone experiencing them should seek medical attention to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
The use of surgery is limited because the nature and location of glioblastomas are such that complete removal is almost impossible. The main aim of the surgeon will be to remove as much as possible without damaging surrounding healthy brain tissue.
Radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy are used in addition to this to shrink the tumour and prevent its growth. Radiotherapy does this by using radiation to damage the DNA in cancerous tumours, which prevents or restricts cell replication.
The form of radiotherapy we use is stereotactic radiosurgery, using Gamma Knife. This device, despite its name, is not a knife in the physical sense, but a device that uses gamma radiation to deliver very powerful beams to very precise areas.
This is designed for locations such as the brain, where tumours can be targeted with a high level of accuracy and the level of radiation exposure for surrounding brain tissue is minimised.
Because a glioblastoma is incurable, surgery and radiotherapy (or chemotherapy) will not prevent the tumour from growing and spreading entirely, but they will slow the progression down significantly.
However, new research is taking place all the time, raising new possibilities for glioblastoma treatment. If these can prove successful, they could work alongside radiotherapy to bring further relief to patients.
They found that using tablets containing resveratrol and copper could help to halt one of the mechanisms by which the tumours grow rapidly.
Normally, when a glioblastoma cell expires, it releases cell-free chromatin particles, which will then stimulate nearby glioblastoma cells and make them more aggressive.
The level of aggression in glioblastoma cells is indicated by the levels of a protein called Ki-67, with higher levels demonstrating faster growth. However, a comparison between the cohort of patients given the supplements before surgery with those who had not found that in the group taking the tablets, KI-67 levels were a third lower.
Other indicators revealed that six immune ‘checkpoints’ that prevent the body from attacking the cancers were reduced by 41 per cent, while nine ‘hallmark’ biomarkers of cancer were reduced by 57 per cent.
According to the researchers, these findings indicated that it was possible to get the cancer cells to engage in ‘healing’ and that this offered a new alternative to simply seeking to destroy the cells.
A clear benefit would arise if it could be demonstrated that, over an extended period of time, the supplements diminish the cancer and slow its growth to the point that when radiotherapy is applied, it will be weak enough to be beaten entirely.
Even if that Holy Grail is not achieved in this instance, the findings highlight the hope that new treatments may combine with radiotherapy, as well as surgery, to provide more advanced treatments and better outcomes for glioblastoma patients.
Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for glioblastoma on the Queen Square website.
Radiotherapy is used extensively in treatment, but a new development may bring a more multi-dimensional approach.
What Are The Characteristics Of Glioblastomas?
Glioblastomas arise in the astrocytes, which are among the glial cells whose purpose is to support nerve functions. The causes are not known, although there is evidence of a genetic link.Early symptoms indicating the possible presence of a glioblastoma include:
- Headaches
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Impaired speech
- Difficulties with balance or coordination
- Seizures
Such symptoms are commonly caused by tumours becoming enlarged to the point where they start to press on areas of the brain or nerves, impeding normal functions.
These symptoms may have other causes, including different types of glioma, including astrocytoma, which also arise from the astrocytes but are not as aggressive. Anyone experiencing them should seek medical attention to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
How Are Glioblastomas Treated?
Because of the aggressive nature of glioblastomas, treatment will begin quickly for them. The treatments used up until now have included the following:- Surgery to remove part of the tumour
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
The use of surgery is limited because the nature and location of glioblastomas are such that complete removal is almost impossible. The main aim of the surgeon will be to remove as much as possible without damaging surrounding healthy brain tissue.
Radiotherapy and sometimes chemotherapy are used in addition to this to shrink the tumour and prevent its growth. Radiotherapy does this by using radiation to damage the DNA in cancerous tumours, which prevents or restricts cell replication.
The form of radiotherapy we use is stereotactic radiosurgery, using Gamma Knife. This device, despite its name, is not a knife in the physical sense, but a device that uses gamma radiation to deliver very powerful beams to very precise areas.
This is designed for locations such as the brain, where tumours can be targeted with a high level of accuracy and the level of radiation exposure for surrounding brain tissue is minimised.
Because a glioblastoma is incurable, surgery and radiotherapy (or chemotherapy) will not prevent the tumour from growing and spreading entirely, but they will slow the progression down significantly.
However, new research is taking place all the time, raising new possibilities for glioblastoma treatment. If these can prove successful, they could work alongside radiotherapy to bring further relief to patients.
What Does Supplement Discovery Mean For Glioblastoma Treatment?
Among the possibilities that have emerged recently is a discovery in India. Researchers at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, have published a paper suggesting that the combined use of two supplements could reduce the aggressiveness of glioblastomas.They found that using tablets containing resveratrol and copper could help to halt one of the mechanisms by which the tumours grow rapidly.
Normally, when a glioblastoma cell expires, it releases cell-free chromatin particles, which will then stimulate nearby glioblastoma cells and make them more aggressive.
The level of aggression in glioblastoma cells is indicated by the levels of a protein called Ki-67, with higher levels demonstrating faster growth. However, a comparison between the cohort of patients given the supplements before surgery with those who had not found that in the group taking the tablets, KI-67 levels were a third lower.
Other indicators revealed that six immune ‘checkpoints’ that prevent the body from attacking the cancers were reduced by 41 per cent, while nine ‘hallmark’ biomarkers of cancer were reduced by 57 per cent.
According to the researchers, these findings indicated that it was possible to get the cancer cells to engage in ‘healing’ and that this offered a new alternative to simply seeking to destroy the cells.
Could Further Research Find A Way To Fully Defeat Glioblastomas?
Further research may give an initial insight into what is possible, such as whether using the supplements over longer periods of time than the average administering time of 11.6 days can make them even more effective, or if adding any other supplements can multiply their effects.A clear benefit would arise if it could be demonstrated that, over an extended period of time, the supplements diminish the cancer and slow its growth to the point that when radiotherapy is applied, it will be weak enough to be beaten entirely.
Even if that Holy Grail is not achieved in this instance, the findings highlight the hope that new treatments may combine with radiotherapy, as well as surgery, to provide more advanced treatments and better outcomes for glioblastoma patients.
Learn more about our advanced radiotherapy and neurosurgical treatments for glioblastoma on the Queen Square website.
