scholarly journals Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of intracranial gliomas: A review of current practice and considerations for future clinical directions

2015 ◽  
Vol 08 (01) ◽  
pp. 1530005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl J. Fisher ◽  
Lothar Lilge
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Photodynamic Therapy ◽  
Survival Time ◽  
Malignant Gliomas ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Therapeutic Index ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Significant Survival ◽  
Tumor Volume Reduction

Invasive grade III and IV malignant gliomas remain difficult to treat with a typical survival time post-diagnosis hovering around 16 months with only minor extension thereof seen in the past decade, whereas some improvements have been obtained towards five-year survival rates for which completeness of resection is a prerequisite. Optical techniques such as fluorescence guided resection (FGR) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are promising adjuvant techniques to increase the tumor volume reduction fraction. PDT has been used in combination with surgical resection or alternatively as standalone treatment strategy with some success in extending the median survival time of patients compared to surgery alone and the current standard of care. This document reviews the outcome of past clinical trials and highlights the general shift in PDT therapeutic approaches. It also looks at the current approaches for interstitial PDT and research options into increasing PDT's glioma treatment efficacy through exploiting both physical and biological-based approaches to maximize PDT selectivity and therapeutic index, particularly in brain adjacent to tumor (BAT). Potential reasons for failing to demonstrate a significant survival advantage in prior PDT clinical trials will become evident in light of the improved understanding of glioma biology and PDT dosimetry.

scholarly journals Current FDA-Approved Therapies for High-Grade Malignant Gliomas

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 324
Author(s):  
Jacob P. Fisher ◽  
David C. Adamson
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Malignant Gliomas ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
High Grade ◽  
Tumor Treatment ◽  
Free Survival ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Survival ◽  
One Year

The standard of care (SOC) for high-grade gliomas (HGG) is maximally safe surgical resection, followed by concurrent radiation therapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ) for 6 weeks, then adjuvant TMZ for 6 months. Before this SOC was established, glioblastoma (GBM) patients typically lived for less than one year after diagnosis, and no adjuvant chemotherapy had demonstrated significant survival benefits compared with radiation alone. In 2005, the Stupp et al. randomized controlled trial (RCT) on newly diagnosed GBM patients concluded that RT plus TMZ compared to RT alone significantly improved overall survival (OS) (14.6 vs. 12.1 months) and progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months (PFS6) (53.9% vs. 36.4%). Outside of TMZ, there are four drugs and one device FDA-approved for the treatment of HGGs: lomustine, intravenous carmustine, carmustine wafer implants, bevacizumab (BVZ), and tumor treatment fields (TTFields). These treatments are now mainly used to treat recurrent HGGs and symptoms. TTFields is the only treatment that has been shown to improve OS (20.5 vs. 15.6 months) and PFS6 (56% vs. 37%) in comparison to the current SOC. TTFields is the newest addition to this list of FDA-approved treatments, but has not been universally accepted yet as part of SOC.

scholarly journals Co-Clinical Trials: An Innovative Drug Development Platform for Cholangiocarcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Brinda Balasubramanian ◽  
Simran Venkatraman ◽  
Kyaw Zwar Myint ◽  
Tavan Janvilisri ◽  
Kanokpan Wongprasert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Targeted Therapy ◽  
Drug Development ◽  
Surgical Resection ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Innovative Drug ◽  
Curative Intent

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a group of malignancies that originate from the biliary tract, is associated with a high mortality rate and a concerning increase in worldwide incidence. In Thailand, where the incidence of CCA is the highest, the socioeconomic burden is severe. Yet, treatment options are limited, with surgical resection being the only form of treatment with curative intent. The current standard-of-care remains adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy which is ineffective in most patients. The overall survival rate is dismal, even after surgical resection and the tumor heterogeneity further complicates treatment. Together, this makes CCA a significant burden in Southeast Asia. For effective management of CCA, treatment must be tailored to each patient, individually, for which an assortment of targeted therapies must be available. Despite the increasing numbers of clinical studies in CCA, targeted therapy drugs rarely get approved for clinical use. In this review, we discuss the shortcomings of the conventional clinical trial process and propose the implementation of a novel concept, co-clinical trials to expedite drug development for CCA patients. In co-clinical trials, the preclinical studies and clinical trials are conducted simultaneously, thus enabling real-time data integration to accurately stratify and customize treatment for patients, individually. Hence, co-clinical trials are expected to improve the outcomes of clinical trials and consequently, encourage the approval of targeted therapy drugs. The increased availability of targeted therapy drugs for treatment is expected to facilitate the application of precision medicine in CCA.

scholarly journals CURATE.AI: Optimizing Personalized Medicine with Artificial Intelligence

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-105
Author(s):  
Agata Blasiak ◽  
Jeffrey Khong ◽  
Theodore Kee
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Personalized Medicine ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Small Data ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Dose Selection ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
Over Time

The clinical team attending to a patient upon a diagnosis is faced with two main questions: what treatment, and at what dose? Clinical trials’ results provide the basis for guidance and support for official protocols that clinicians use to base their decisions upon. However, individuals rarely demonstrate the reported response from relevant clinical trials, often the average from a group representing a population or subpopulation. The decision complexity increases with combination treatments where drugs administered together can interact with each other, which is often the case. Additionally, the individual’s response to the treatment varies over time with the changes in his or her condition, whether via the indication or physiology. In practice, the drug and the dose selection depend greatly on the medical protocol of the healthcare provider and the medical team’s experience. As such, the results are inherently varied and often suboptimal. Big data approaches have emerged as an excellent decision-making support tool, but their application is limited by multiple challenges, the main one being the availability of sufficiently big datasets with good quality, representative information. An alternative approach—phenotypic personalized medicine (PPM)—finds an appropriate drug combination (quadratic phenotypic optimization platform [QPOP]) and an appropriate dosing strategy over time (CURATE.AI) based on small data collected exclusively from the treated individual. PPM-based approaches have demonstrated superior results over the current standard of care. The side effects are limited while the desired output is maximized, which directly translates into improving the length and quality of individuals’ lives.

scholarly journals Immune responses in the thyroid cancer microenvironment: making immunotherapy a possible mission

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. T311-T329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C Mould ◽  
Jacob P van Vloten ◽  
Amanda W K AuYeung ◽  
Khalil Karimi ◽  
Byram W Bridle
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Cancer Microenvironment ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Thyroid Cancers ◽  
Hormonal Modulation ◽  
Differentiated Thyroid Cancers

The incidence of thyroid cancers has been steadily increasing worldwide over the past few decades. Although five-year survival rates for differentiated thyroid cancers are upwards of 90%, clinical outcomes for patients with undifferentiated, recurrent and/or metastatic disease are often dismal despite conventional interventions. As such, there is a demand for novel treatment options. Cancer immunotherapy represents the ultimate form of personalized medicine by leveraging the specificity and potency of a patient’s immune system to kill their tumor. The thyroid cancer microenvironment is rich in immunological cells, making it a reasonable candidate for immunotherapy. This review maps out the immunological features of thyroid cancers and how these can be modulated. There are surprising immunological consequences of conventional therapies that demand attention. Also, hormonal modulation of the immune system is highlighted as a unique and confounding feature of thyroid cancers. A variety of cutting-edge immune-based therapies are discussed, with an emphasis placed on how these can be integrated with the current standard of care. Several high priority areas in need of research are also highlighted.

scholarly journals HGG-41. CHARACTERIZATION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE FOLLOWING VARIOUS RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENTS IN GLIOBLASTOMA

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i26-i26
Author(s):  
Carolina Cocito ◽  
Mylene Branchtein ◽  
Tatyana Gongora ◽  
Nadia Dahmane ◽  
Jeffrey Greenfield
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Radiation Treatment ◽  
Malignant Gliomas ◽  
Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Syngeneic Mouse Model ◽  
Infiltrating Lymphocytes ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Malignant gliomas represent 6.5% of all childhood brain neoplasms with a 5-years survival rate of less than 20%. Current standard of care for these tumors include radiotherapy; recent data in solid tumors indicate that adequate radiation protocols may synergize with immunotherapy strategies for better outcomes. Nonetheless, a great discrepancy between preclinical studies and clinical trials outcomes persists, the basis of which is not fully understood. One hypothesis may be due to different radiation protocols used. We used the GL261 syngeneic mouse model of glioma to test this hypothesis and characterize the immune response to radiotherapy, with either a single dose of 10Gy, a dose often used in preclinical models, or a fractionated treatment of 2Gy for five consecutive days (2Gyx5), as fractioned radiotherapy is most often used in patients. The immune content of the brain and the blood was assessed by flow cytometry in un-irradiated (control), 10Gyx1 and 2Gyx5 treated mice for three weeks after radiation. In the brain, both radiation regimens drastically reduced the number of CD45+ cells for the first two weeks after treatment. When compared to controls, 10Gyx1 but not 2Gyx5 treated mice showed a significant increase in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (CD3+) starting from the second week following treatment. This effect persisted until three weeks post treatment. The 10Gyx1 dose was better tolerated by the resident microglia (CD45lowCD11b+) when compared to the 2Gyx5 treatment. Our data describe the dynamics through which the immune microenvironment responds to two radiation regimens over time. Our results show that 10Gyx1 is the most effective regimen to impede tumor growth and to induce lymphocyte infiltration once the system recovers from the treatment. Our work suggests that, in the GL261 model, the fractionated radiation treatment we tested may be less optimal in priming glioma cells to the immune system.

scholarly journals Curcumin in Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Yang ◽  
Umair Akbar ◽  
Chandra Mohan
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Therapeutic Agent ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Cohort Size ◽  
Lipid Levels ◽  
Current Standard

Over recent decades, many clinical trials on curcumin supplementation have been conducted on various autoimmune diseases including osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, and ulcerative colitis patients. This review attempts to summarize the highlights from these clinical trials. The efficacy of curcumin either alone or in conjunction with existing treatment was evaluated. Sixteen clinical trials have been conducted in osteoarthritis, 14 of which yielded significant improvements in multiple disease parameters. Eight trials have been conducted in type 2 diabetes, all yielding significant improvement in clinical or laboratory outcomes. Three trials were in ulcerative colitis, two of which yielded significant improvement in at least one clinical outcome. Additionally, two clinical trials on rheumatoid arthritis, one clinical trial on lupus nephritis, and two clinical trials on multiple sclerosis resulted in inconclusive results. Longer duration, larger cohort size, and multiple dosage arm trials are warranted to establish the long term benefits of curcumin supplementation. Multiple mechanisms of action of curcumin on these diseases have been researched, including the modulation of the eicosanoid pathway towards a more anti-inflammatory pathway, and the modulation of serum lipid levels towards a favorable profile. Overall, curcumin supplementation emerges as an effective therapeutic agent with minimal-to-no side effects, which can be added in conjunction to current standard of care.

scholarly journals RARE-09. CYSTIC GLIOBLASTOMA PRESENTATION AS A BENEFICIAL PROGNOSTIC INDICATOR FOR OVERALL SURVIVAL

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi223-vi223
Author(s):  
Lee Curtin ◽  
Paula Whitmire ◽  
Cassandra Rickertsen ◽  
Peter D Canoll ◽  
Maciej Mrugala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Survival Benefit ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Prognostic Impact ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Significant Survival Benefit ◽  
Care Treatment ◽  
Significant Survival ◽  
Cystic Component ◽  
Standard Of Care Treatment

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor with a median overall survival of 15 months with standard-of-care treatment. GBM patients sometimes present with a cystic component, which can be identified through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Previous studies suggest that cysts occur in 7–22% of GBM patients and have reported mixed results regarding whether cystic GBM have a survival benefit compared to noncystic GBM. Using our large retrospective cohort of 493 first-diagnosis GBM patients, we aim to elucidate this link between cystic GBM and survival. Within this cohort, 88 patients had a significant cystic component at presentation as identified on MRI. Compared to noncystic GBM (n=405), cystic GBM patients had significantly better overall survival (15 vs 22 months median, log-rank, p=0.001) and were significantly younger at the time of presentation (t-test, p=0.002). However, within patients that received current standard-of-care treatment (n=184), cystic GBM (n=40) was not as beneficial for outcome (22 vs 25 months, log-rank, p=0.3). We also did not observe a significant survival benefit when comparing this standard-of-care cystic cohort to cystic GBM patients diagnosed before the standard was established (n=19, 25 vs 23 months, log-rank, p=0.3), but the analogous result for noncystic GBM patients gives a sizeable benefit, as expected (n=144, n=111, respectively, 22 vs 12 months, log-rank p < 0.0001). Together, these results on current standard-of-care may explain later studies that note no significant survival benefit for cystic GBM patients receiving current standard-of-care. We also report differences in the absolute and relative sizes of imaging abnormalities on MRI and in prognostic impact of cysts based on sex. We discuss current hypotheses for these observed differences, including the possibility that the presence of a cyst could be indicative of a less aggressive tumor.

scholarly journals Antitumor Activity of Curcumin in Glioblastoma

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 9435
Author(s):  
Blake C. Walker ◽  
Sandeep Mittal
Keyword(s):  
Curcuma Longa ◽  
Malignant Gliomas ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Molecular Signaling ◽  
Current Standard ◽  
Traditional Medicines ◽  
Tumor Treating Fields

Current standard-of-care treatment for glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary central nervous system (CNS) tumor, consists of surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation (Stupp protocol), providing an overall median survival of 15 months. With additional treatment using tumor-treating fields (Optune® therapy, Novocure Ltd., Haifa, Israel), survival can be extended up to 20 months. In spite of significant progress in our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis, the prognosis for patients with malignant gliomas remains poor and additional treatment modalities are critically needed. Curcumin is a bright yellow pigment found in the rhizome of the widely utilized spice, turmeric (Curcuma longa). It has long been used in South Asian traditional medicines and has been demonstrated to have in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative effects. Curcumin has been demonstrated to induce multiple cytotoxic effects in tumor cells including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, changes in gene expression, and disruption of molecular signaling. Additionally, curcumin has been shown to potentiate the effect of radiation on cancer cells, while exhibiting a protective effect on normal tissue. Curcumin’s positive safety profile and widespread availability make it a promising compound for future clinical trials for high-grade gliomas.

scholarly journals Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adolescents: improving the therapeutic index

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (22) ◽  
pp. 2452-2458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kara M. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Overall Survival ◽  
Hodgkin Lymphoma ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Therapeutic Index ◽  
Adolescent And Young Adult ◽  
New Combination ◽  
Delayed Effects ◽  
Patients At Risk

Abstract Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a highly curable form of childhood cancer, with estimated 5 year survival rates exceeding 98%. However, the establishment of a “standard of care” approach to its management is complicated by the recognition that long-term overall survival declines in part from delayed effects of therapy and that there continue to be subgroups of patients at risk for relapse for which prognostic criteria cannot adequately define. This challenge has resulted in the development of various strategies aimed at identifying the optimal balance between maintaining overall survival and avoidance of long-term morbidity of therapy, often representing strategies quite different from those used for adults with HL. More precise risk stratification and methods for assessing the chemosensitivity of HL through imaging studies and biomarkers are in evolution. Recent advances in the understanding of the biology of HL have led to the introduction of targeted therapies in both the frontline and relapsed settings. However, significant barriers exist in the development of new combination therapies, necessitating collaborative studies across pediatric HL research consortia and in conjunction with adult groups for the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population with HL.

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