Diffuse astrocytomas are tumors of the Central Nervous System (CNS). The presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and tumor barrier, make these cancers poorly responsive to all kinds of currently available therapies. Most standard treatments aim to slow progression of the cancer rather than stop or eliminate it. New treatments are always being explored and I like to stay informed ☺
Diagnosis, prognosis, & standard treatment
My diagnosis is Grade 2 Astrocytoma. I’ve found that most research and clinical trials are surrounding glioblastomas which are grade 4 astrocytomas and far more aggressive. Research on grade 2 astrocytomas is typically focused on patients who had their tumor resected as part of their treatment. Like I talked about in Astro-what?, my treatment didn’t include resection (surgical removal) of the tumor. Surgeons need to be able to safely resect a certain percentage of the tumor to make the benefits outweigh the risks. One of my lesions was located along my motor cortex so they wouldn’t have been able to safely resect enough of the tumor without risking paralyzing me on the left side of my body. We learned early on that resection was off the table for me and even got a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic on this. This makes a lot of the research irrelevant to me unfortunately. However, in the event of reoccurrence in the future it certainly could become an option depending on where it reoccurred.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the median survival rate for patients with this form of brain cancer is 8 years. However, there are long term survivors of this condition. According to The Brain Tumour Charity, more than 40% of people live longer than 10 years. The presence of the IDH1 mutation can lead to longer survival and luckily I have that mutation.
Current research
Studies are being done to improve imaging techniques to help doctor’s better pinpoint these tumors and surgical techniques to better guide surgeons. Immunotherapies and better ways to deliver radiation are being explored.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a newer treatment aimed at difficult-to-treat brain tumors. It delivers something called boron-10 to tumor cells and affects tumor tissue while sparing nearby healthy tissue. One case study found that a 39 year-old man reached a 32 year survival rate after receiving BNCT. (Kamano, Matsuyama, and Minamimura, 2020).
Researchers are studying the use of targeted therapy to treat astrocytomas with certain genetic changes. Specifically, researchers are studying new drugs that target changes, called mutations or alterations, on the BRAF gene. These targeted treatments allow for a more individualized treatment approach rather than delivering the standard treatment to every patient knowing each one is different.
Peptides are among the therapies being explored. Peptides are a class of compounds used to treat things like infections, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Peptides are low toxicity resulting in less side effects because they don’t accumulate in our tissue. They can be delivered in many different ways and can act as both carriers and active agents (Brambilla, Guidatti and Rossi, 2020). It also has a low production cost. I plan to keep looking into this one for sure!
Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Systems are another interesting treatment that have been studied on glioblastomas. Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Nanosystems are a combination of hydrogels and nanoparticles that are able to cross the Blood Brain Barrier due to their size and surface characteristics (Basso et al., 2018). They offer a lot of advantages like sustained drug release and adaptability. Hydrogels are formed by polymer chains and are able to resemble biological tissue. They function within a wide range of applications like tissue engineering, would repairing, and drug delivery (Basso et al., 2018). Researches are seeing opportunity to design independent and nanosized structures for drug delivery. They offer a lot of control over drug delivery which is something standard therapies can lack.
I’m starting to look into astrocytoma related research in other countries as well and the idea of medical tourism. There are many restricted or alternative treatments available in other countries that have not yet been cleared for use in the US. We can sometimes be late to the party when it comes to new medical treatments since we’re bound by so many regulations and obstacles. I’ve found that the UK is exploring things like palladium implants, DCVax-L vaccines, and other targeted drugs and cancer growth blockers. Once I learn what all that means I’ll let you know. ☺
Clinical trials
As of right now there are no clinical trials in the US that I’d be eligible for that are enrolling patients. The exciting part is that there is a lot of research going on surrounding my condition and similar conditions. The downfall is that clinical trials take time to complete. Once all phases of the clinical trials are complete, data is gathered and results are analyzed. Even if the results yield any significance, it still needs to be submitted to and approved by the FDA. It takes time to move new ideas and treatments forward.
Statistics and averages are not the source of truth and every single person is different. The purpose of sharing these statistics is to increase knowledge and awareness but they don’t dictate my path. I’ve never really been the status quo on things. Everyone is entitled to their own outlook on this but I hope sharing mine is helpful for anyone looking for some perspective. For me it’s energizing to learn about all the different treatments being explored and research being done!
♡ Hailey
Coming Up on Kiss My Astrocytoma
Health Anxiety
Side Effects
References
A Case of Diffuse Astrocytoma with 32-year Survival after Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. Kamano, Matsuyama, and Minamimura, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7538456/
Astrocytoma Prognosis. The Brain Tumour Charity. https://www.thebraintumourcharity.org/brain-tumour-diagnosis-treatment/types-of-brain-tumour-adult/astrocytoma/astrocytoma-prognosis/
Astrocytoma Tumors. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Astrocytoma-Tumors
Exploring Novel Molecular Targets for the Treatment of High-Grade Astrocytomas Using Peptide Therapeutics: An Overview. Brambilla, Guidatti and Rossi, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7072800/
Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Nanosystems for the Treatment of Brain Tumors. Basso, Cova, Miranda, Nunes, Pais, Sousa, Vitorino, 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6209281/
