A pioneering new treatment developed in Israel for the most common type of brain cancer stopped tumours growing in patients who were tested in the US, study results have revealed.
The procedure aims to treat glioblastoma – an incurable, malignant form of brain tumour which carries a life expectancy of around one year, even with chemotherapy.
The treatment is called Alpha DaRT and it was developed by Hadassah University Medical Center in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, in collaboration with the Sharett Institute of Oncology and medical company Alpha TAU.
The procedure sends highly efficient alpha radiation particles to the effected site in the patient’s brain from two different angles, maximising accuracy.
Current treatment for glioblastoma includes chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but even with these methods, the majority of patients see the cancer quickly return.
Findings from a US study, named REGAIN, on the new technology, which was conducted alongside the Israeli work, found that in all three patients it was tested on, Alpha DaRT was able to control their tumours.
Two of the three showed no evidence of regrowth after treatment.
Professor Aron Popovtzer, director of the Sharett Institute of Oncology, told the Jerusalem Post: “Patients with recurrent disease currently have very limited treatment options. Therefore, any innovative technology that can be tested in a controlled clinical study is of great importance.
“A combination of research, clinical experience, and multidisciplinary collaboration is the only way to advance new treatments for these patients.”
Hadassah announced earlier this month that the treatment has now been used on the first Israeli patient – a 77-year-old man who had recurring glioblastoma. The hospital has not issued an update as to if the man has seen a recurrence.
Professor Yigal Shoshan, the director of the Neurosurgery, Oncology, and Stereotactic Radiosurgery Unit at the hospital, led the surgery alongside a multidisciplinary team from several medical departments.
He told the Jerusalem Post: “The procedure that was carried out at Hadassah is not only the first treatment in Israel, but the culmination of years of research.
“As part of our collaboration with Alpha TAU, we have adapted the technology for brain tumour treatment. This included laboratory studies, preclinical studies in a large-animal model, the development of dedicated applicators, their implementation in the neurosurgical navigation system, and many exercises on models in the operating room.
He continued: “Every step was designed to ensure that the transition to clinical research was carried out with the highest level of accuracy and safety.
“Seeing the technology reach a patient in Israel for the first time is an exciting moment for everyone who has been part of this journey.”
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