According to the National Brain Tumor Foundation, each year, about 190,000 Americans are diagnosed with a brain tumor. A brain tumor can form within the brain tissue (a primary brain tumor) or develop from another cancer that has spread to the brain (metastatic, or secondary, brain tumor).

There are more than 120 different kinds of brain tumors. About 25 percent of primary brain tumors are glioblastoma multiforme. These tend to be very aggressive tumors that grow rapidly and spread to nearby tissue.

Glioblastomas are more common in men and in people 45 to 70. The tumor usually is found in the cerebral hemispheres, but may also occur in the brain stem, cerebellum or spinal cord. Symptoms depend upon the location and size of the tumor. In general, patients may experience headaches, seizures, memory loss, problems with coordination and changes in personality.

Treating Glioblastoma

The standard treatment for glioblastoma is surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible and radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Depending upon the location or size of the tumor, surgery may not be possible. Radiation may help shrink the tumor and relieve symptoms, but usually doesn't completely destroy the cancer. Chemotherapy is limited in effectiveness because the brain is protected by a natural barrier that prevents passage of harmful drugs and pathogens.

Lara Kunschner, M.D., a Neuro-oncologist at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, says that, even with treatment, the outlook for patients with glioblastoma is bleak. With aggressive treatment, only about 25 percent of patients are tumor-free after two years. For many, treatment has little impact on survival.

Using Electricity to Fight Brain Tumors

Researchers are testing a novel treatment for glioblastoma multiforme - using alternating current, or AC electricity. AC is the type of electricity used in homes and businesses. It gets its name from the fact that electricity can flow back and forth in alternating directions. (Direct current, or DC, refers to the flow of electricity in one direction only.)

The device that delivers the AC treatment is called the Novo-TTF. It consists of four sets of electrodes placed on the scalp, wires and a portable, battery-powered generator. The patient's head is shaved so electrodes can be attached to the scalp. The wires connect the electrodes to the generator carried in a pouch the size of a medium purse or small back pack.

When the system is on, low-intensity, intermediate frequency electric fields are transmitted through the electrodes to the tumor. Cancer cells, which are growing and dividing rapidly, have different electrical properties than normal cells, which grow at a slow rate. The AC treatment targets the electrical activity in the cancer cell. The treatment has two effects on the tumor. First, it prevents the cells from proliferating. Second, it causes the cells to physically break apart while dividing. The AC treatment appears to have no harmful effects on healthy cells. Patients report no adverse side effects from the treatment other than mild warmth at the site of electrodes.

The Novo-TTF is in phase III clinical trials across the U.S. for patients with recurrent or progressive glioblastoma multiforme (a list of sites is included at the end of the research). More than 200 patients will be randomly assigned to receive either (1) the new treatment or (2) the best of standard care. Those who receive the Novo-TTF will have an MRI every two months to follow the outcome of the treatments.

European pilot studies show promising results. Two years after starting treatment, two of ten patients are feeling well and have no signs of tumor progression. One patient has no visible signs of a tumor on an MRI scan. Mike Ambrogi, NovoCure U.S. General Manager, says, hopefully, the treatment will at least get the tumor under control. Then, over time, the treatment may reduce the size of the tumor.

NovoTTF U.S. Study Sites
University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD (site pending as of 6-11-07)
Boston University, Boston, MA
NJ Neuroscience Institute - JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

For information about the NovoTTF, the clinical trial, or to locate a study site, log onto the company's website at

http://www.novocuretrial.com

For general information on glioblastoma multiforme or other types of brain tumors:

American Cancer Society

The Brain Tumor Foundation

National Brain Tumor Foundation

National Cancer Institute