In a major advance for the treatment of the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma, Northwestern Medicine scientists used ultrasound technology to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and provide a small dose of a chemotherapy and immunotherapy drug cocktail. The study found that this treatment boosted the immune system's recognition of the cancer cells and could lead to a new treatment approach. The scientists made several breakthroughs reported in a new study to be published in Nature Communications this Thursday, June 6.
Scientists showed for the first time that a skull-implantable ultrasound device can enhance the penetration of the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin and immune checkpoint blockade antibodies -; a novel immunotherapy treatment combination -; into the human brain. The device produces microbubbles that temporarily open the blood-brain barrier, allowing the immunotherapy to enter the brain. The scientists also showed for the first time that a small dose of doxorubicin (smaller than the dose used for traditional chemotherapy regimens) delivered with the immune checkpoint antibodies can boost the recognition of malignant glioblastoma cells by the immune system and reinvigorate the lymphocytes (immune cells) that are in charge of attacking the cancer cells.
An immune checkpoint blockade antibody blocks the deactivation of the immune system by the cancer cells. The immune system has built-in brakes -; called immune checkpoints -; so it doesn't overdo it and injure the body whe.
