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New Treatment Helping Fight Malignant Gliomas

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May 18, 2009 4:01 pm US/Eastern

New Treatment Helping Fight Malignant Gliomas

BOSTON (WBZ) ― Malignant gliomas, like the one Sen. Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with, strike nearly 9,000 Americans a year. About half die within 12 months, but the senator has already beaten those odds.

The standard care for malignant gliomas, like the senator's, is surgery if possible, then six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation. But even then, patients generally survive less than a few years. "Glioblastomas are very difficult to treat because they are very infiltrative," said Dr. Gregory Sorensen of Mass. General Hospital. "They grow into the substance of the brain, so even though a surgeon might cut out the visible parts, the rest of the tumor is fingering its way into the substance of the brain."

But scientists are studying new approaches to treat these types of tumors. They're using angiogenesis drugs, which have shown promise in shrinking brain tumors by choking off their blood supply. "It's a race against the clock," said Dr. Sorensen. "They have a certain amount of life left, and they get a certain number of shots on goal to try to find the right chemo to attack their tumor."

Marilyn Stevens has been on one of those angiogenesis drugs called Avastin since December.

She was diagnosed last October with the same aggressive form of brain cancer the senator has, and also had surgery, radiation and chemo like Kennedy.

She says watching the senator's remarkable recovery has inspired her, as well as other patients. "You see that and say 'Wow, he's doing very well,' and that gives everybody hope they can also do that."

Researchers are also reporting promising results from an experimental brain cancer vaccine, which has been shown to extend survival rates by a year-and-a-half for some patients.

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