Depending on the size, rate and growth, type, and location, brain tumors can even be life-threatening. Although brain tumors are relatively rare compared to other types of cancers, about 87,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumor in the US every year. The National Cancer Institute reveals that the five-year survival rate for all types of brain tumors is about 36%.
In other words, having a brain tumor is nothing that you could possibly want. Thanks to a new study, a new treatment is revealed that could represent the bee’s knees in humanity’s battle against brain tumors.
Indirubin derivate shows promising results in mice
SciTechDaily reveals that according to the new study in question, a derivative of indirubin, a natural compound, indicates a new approach for treating glioblastoma in the case of mice. For those unaware, glioblastoma is a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumor.
The drug deriving from indirubin shows promising results while testing in mice for the treatment of brain tumors. The little animal’s survival was improved due to the administration of the drug. Human clinical trials are awaited in order to realize the full effectiveness of the drug.
Sean Lawler, the lead author of the new study and also an associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, stated as SciTechDaily quotes:
The interesting thing about this drug is that it targets a number of important hallmarks of the disease,
That’s appealing because this type of cancer keeps finding ways around individual mechanisms of attack. So if we use multiple mechanisms of attack at once, perhaps that will be more successful.
Brain tumors are mainly represented by abnormal growth of cells in the brain or in the surrounding tissues. Such a condition interferes with normal brain function.
The new study appears in Cell Reports Medicine.
