Watch CBS News

Penn Medicine Treating Glioblastoma Using Patient's Own Immune System

Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook Twitter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Following the death of Sen. John McCain, there's new focus on finding better treatments for the brain cancer that killed him.

Penn Medicine has been leading the way in research on glioblastoma, ushering in the new era of cellular therapies that treat cancer with a patient's own immune system.

It started with Emily Whitehead as her leukemia was cured with immuno therapy.

CAR-T cells are now being tested to treat patients with glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer.

The patient's own cells are re-engineered to target and destroy cancer.

"What you want to do is modify and enhance the immune response," said Dr. Donald O'Rourke of Penn Medicine.

O'Rourke, a Penn neuro-surgeon, says T-cell therapy alone hasn't been as effective in treating glioblastoma as the brain is more resistant.

So now, Penn researchers are finding better success adding another therapy.

Experimental Drug Being Tested On Dogs Could Hold Promise For People Battling Glioblastoma 

"When we give these T-cells, we need to give these check point molecules, we think, to release the brakes and make their work more effective and more durable," said O'Rourke.

O'Rourke and the team at Penn are international leaders in researching and treating glioblastoma, which is so devastating because the tumor mixes with normal brain tissue.

"It takes away neurological function, it takes away the essence of a person," added O'Rourke.

The average survival with glioblastoma is about 14 months. It's a cancer that's claimed the lives of John McCain, Ted Kennedy, Beau Biden, and Phillies great Darren Dalton.

"Hopefully their loss will allow us to bring greater awareness which is what we need. We need more awareness and more research," said O'Rourke. "I think the progress will not be linear, I think it will be exponential because there are a couple strategies that are converging."

Penn has a variety of clinical trials testing new treatments for glioblastoma that are underway now and they'll be recruiting more in the near future.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.