A perennial challenge in cancer treatment is figuring out how to kill tumor cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. Our Curious Dr. George asks Stuart L. Marcus, MD, PhD, founder and Chief Science Officer at SonALAsense, how his company’s light-activated drug treatment addresses this challenge, holding potential promise for people with brain, bladder, and possibly other cancers. Curious Dr. George: Your flagship treatment employs sonodynamic therapy (SDT), in which focused ultrasound is used to generate a light that, enabled by a metabolite of aminolevulinic acid (ALA) concentrated selecti ..read more

If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, or are facing recurrence, progression, or a change in treatment, you may feel bombarded with new information and advice. At some point, a clinician or even a well-meaning friend may urge you to have “biomarker testing” done. This phrase can be especially confusing when dealing with the stress of trying to understand a new diagnosis, a new prognosis, and treatment options. But for many patients, biomarker testing is a powerful tool that can help ensure you receive the optimal cancer treatment. Cancer Commons frequently helps people understand such te ..read more

Do molecular biomarkers have any role in treating glioblastoma (GBM)? As outlined in this scientific research report from the academic journal Neuro-Oncology Research Advances, a recent study found that 3 biomarkers were correlated with very great outcome differences for people treated with tumor-treating (electrical) fields. . . The post Molecular Alterations Associated With Improved Outcome in Patients With Glioblastoma Treated With Tumor-Treating Fields appeared first on Cancer Commons ..read more

The Musella Foundation has announced online availability of the 12th edition of the Brain Tumor Guide for the Newly Diagnosed. . The post Brain Tumor Guide appeared first on Cancer Commons ..read more

The most common brain tumors are other types of cancer that have spread (or “metastasized”) to the brain from a primary site elsewhere in the body. And, the genomic makeup of the brain metastases may not be the same as the primary cancer. This article from The ASCO Post discusses what this means for treatment. . The post Deciphering the Elusive Origin and Pathways of Brain Metastases appeared first on Cancer Commons ..read more

Ten years ago, Shelley Frisbie’s husband received a diagnosis of metastatic cancer and was told he had six months to live. Shelley and her husband immediately faced immense urgency and uncertainty. But with guidance from Cancer Commons founder Marty Tenenbaum, PhD, Shelley soon had a list of top resources, doctors, and medical institutions to consult for help with her husband’s case. “I now had a focus and could start doing something productive,” said Shelley, who later joined Cancer Commons as CFO and COO. “Everyone facing cancer should be given the empowerment that Marty gave me 10 years ago ..read more

At Cancer Commons, we don’t just help people navigate cancer treatment; we learn from everyone we help. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Cancer Commons Clinical Scientist Kaumudi Bhawe, PhD, to share how new knowledge can be captured from every patient to help many more. Curious Dr. George: Cancer Commons has accumulated in-depth data on many hundreds of patients with various cancers. Because of the molecular nature of cancers, many are very complex—even unique. How might these data be best studied and reported to help inform diagnostic and therapeutic decisions for many additional ..read more

At Cancer Commons, we don’t just help people navigate cancer treatment; we learn from everyone we help. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Cancer Commons Clinical Scientist Kaumudi Bhawe, PhD, to share how new knowledge can be captured from every patient to help many more. Curious Dr. George: Cancer Commons has accumulated in-depth data on many hundreds of patients with various cancers. Because of the molecular nature of cancers, many are very complex—even unique. How might these data be best studied and reported to help inform diagnostic and therapeutic decisions for many additional ..read more

Cancer Commons helps people make sense of the latest research on treatments for their distinct type of cancer. Meanwhile, a growing number of research papers now include a plain language summary (PLS)—an overview of the paper written for anybody to understand. Here, our Curious Dr. George discusses plain language summaries with Adeline Rosenberg, MSc, Senior Medical Writer at the healthcare communications company Oxford PharmaGenesis, and Chris Winchester, DPhil, Chief Executive Officer at Oxford PharmaGenesis. Curious Dr. George: Patients and the public are very interested in the results ..read more

Immunotherapy has reshaped the cancer treatment landscape. This type of treatment boosts the immune system to fight cancer. However, for people with advanced brain cancer, immunotherapy options remain slim. Here, our Curious Dr. George asks Cancer Commons Scientist Matt Warner, PhD, about the challenges and future potential of immunotherapy for brain cancer. Curious Dr. George: An accomplished molecular oncologist, you have now helped many brain cancer patients consider their options, both on your own and as part of virtual tumor boards. Immunotherapy has successfully revolutionized the treatm ..read more