A groundbreaking study has revealed the incredible response three cancer patients had to a new type of therapy. Researchers at the Mass General Cancer Center partnered with Mass General neurosurgeons to develop CAR-TEAM cells, a novel CAR-T therapy, for the treatment of a recurring and deadly form of brain cancer. The team aimed to test the safety and efficacy of this cell therapy.
The Patients: Fighting Recurrent Glioblastoma
The clinical trial, conducted between March and July 2023, focused on three patients with recurrent glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is a rapidly growing type of cancer that originates in the brain or spinal cord. It invades healthy tissues and forms from astrocytes, which are cells that support nerve cells.
The Treatment: A Revolutionary Approach
The three patients received CARv3-TEAM-E T cells, a cutting-edge approach to CAR-T therapy. CAR-T therapy involves reprogramming a patient’s immune system cells to specifically target their own cancer. It is a complex, yet potentially effective treatment that has shown promising results in clinical trials, even for advanced cancer cases where other treatments have failed. While CAR-T therapies have been approved for blood cancers, developing effective therapies for solid tumors like glioblastoma has posed challenges.
Building on CAR-T cell therapy, the researchers combined it with T-cell engaging antibody molecules (TEAMs) to create CARv3-TEAM-E T cells. These cells are engineered to target specific tumor antigens and mixed cell populations within tumors. The clinical trial aimed to establish this therapy as a safer and more viable option for patients with glioblastoma.
Groundbreaking Results: Tumors Nearly Disappear
The results of the treatment were nothing short of remarkable. Just days after a single treatment, the patients experienced significant reductions in tumor size. The 57-year-old woman’s cells showed near-complete tumor regression on an MRI scan five days after the infusion. The 72-year-old man’s tumor decreased in size by 18.5 percent two days after treatment and by 60.7 percent on day 69—a response that lasted over six months. The 74-year-old man’s blood and cerebrospinal fluid showed decreasing levels of tumor cells after the infusion.
While the patients experienced fever and altered mental status shortly after the infusion, these side effects were expected and no more harmful than other grade three toxic effects. Overall, the patients tolerated the therapy well.
A Promising Future: Changing the Outlook for Glioblastoma
Neurosurgeon Bryan Choi, an associate director of the Center for Brain Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy, underscored the significance of this breakthrough. He mentioned that although CAR-T therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, solid tumors like glioblastoma present unique challenges due to the variability of cancer cells within the tumor. The team’s approach combines two forms of therapy, offering a broader and potentially more effective treatment option for glioblastoma.
Marcela Maus, another researcher on the team, acknowledged that while these results are exciting, they are just the beginning. The researchers are determined to push forward and pursue a therapy that has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for patients with this difficult-to-treat disease.
Elizbeth Gerstner, a co-author of the study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, emphasized the rapid and dramatic response observed in these three patients. She emphasized that further progress is necessary, but the team is on the right track.
This groundbreaking study brings hope to the field of cancer research and offers new possibilities for treating aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma.
