A new clinical trial is set to revolutionize the treatment of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, by tailoring therapies to the individual genetic makeup of patients. The "next-Generation aGile Genomically Guided Glioma platform trial", also known as the 5G platform trial, is backed by Cancer Research UK and the Australian charity Minderoo Foundation, each committing £1.68 million, totaling £3.36 million.
Personalized Treatment Approach
The trial will employ whole genome sequencing for each patient to identify specific genetic characteristics of their cancer. This personalized approach allows researchers to target treatments with greater precision, potentially improving outcomes for patients with glioblastoma. According to Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, "This new trial offers something different because researchers will use the DNA of participants to help them target treatments."
Addressing Unmet Needs in Glioblastoma Treatment
Glioblastomas are fast-growing and aggressive tumors, representing the most common type of primary brain cancer in adults. Despite over 1,000 clinical trials in the past two decades, significant breakthroughs in glioblastoma treatment have remained elusive. The 5G platform trial aims to address this unmet need by adapting treatments to individual patients and testing multiple new drugs in a short period.
Trial Design and Implementation
The design of the trial allows treatments developed for other types of cancer to be tested in patients with brain cancer for the first time. The trial is sponsored by The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and conducted by the Joint Drug Development Unit at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). Dr. Richard Mair, honorary consultant neurosurgeon at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and co-lead of the Brain Cancer Virtual Institute at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre, emphasized the innovative nature of the trial: "The use of whole genome sequencing for every patient on the trial performed in 'real time' enables us to be both agile and precise in our drug targeting. We hope that this approach will help patients with this cancer of unmet need."
