(NewsNation) — Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine and Northwestern University have come up with a noninvasive treatment for one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
Using nanotechnology, they developed nasal drops that travel along the nerves of the nose into the central nervous system to fight glioblastoma. Preliminary test results have shown that the medication was effective in preventing fatal tumors in mice.
“This is an approach that offers hope for safer, more effective treatments for glioblastoma and potentially other immune treatment-resistant cancers, and it marks a critical step toward clinical application,” Alexander Stegh, a professor at Washington University, said. “This redefines how cancer immunotherapy can be achieved in otherwise difficult-to-access tumors.”
According to Mayo Clinic, glioblastoma is a cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord and can grow quickly and destroy healthy tissue. Symptoms may include worsening headaches, nausea and vomiting, blurred or double vision, trouble speaking, altered sense of touch and seizures.
Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain cancer, and only 6.9% of patients survive beyond five years after diagnosis.
The researchers say while there is a long way to go before human trials, the discovery could pave the way for doctors to expand upon existing therapies used for glioblastoma treatment