What is the newly discovered vulnerability in glioblastoma?

Scientists have identified a "hidden vulnerability" in glioblastoma tumors, which involves how the cancer cells process vitamin B3 when treated with steroid medications.

How can diet help in treating glioblastoma?

Reducing the availability of the amino acid methionine in the diet, when combined with steroid treatment, has been shown to slow glioblastoma tumor growth.

What is the significance of this research for glioblastoma patients?

This research opens up potential new diagnostic and treatment strategies, including diet-based approaches, that could help slow the progression of aggressive glioblastoma.

Home / Science / Hidden Weakness Found in Aggressive Brain Cancer

Hidden Weakness Found in Aggressive Brain Cancer

9 Feb

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Summary

Glioblastoma vulnerability discovered, enabling new treatment strategies.
Steroid drugs alter vitamin B3 processing, creating metabolic weakness.
Dietary methionine restriction combined with steroids slows tumour growth.

Hidden Weakness Found in Aggressive Brain Cancer

A significant breakthrough in understanding glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer, has been announced by an international research team. Published in Science Advances, their work details the discovery of a "hidden vulnerability" within these tumours. This finding could pave the way for innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches, including diet-based interventions.

Crucially, the research highlighted how commonly used steroid anti-inflammatory drugs impact glioblastoma cells' processing of vitamin B3. This metabolic alteration creates a therapeutic weakness that can be leveraged. By combining steroid treatment with dietary strategies to limit the amino acid methionine, researchers successfully slowed tumour growth in preclinical models.