New method overcomes chemotherapy resistance in brain cancer. Israeli study

Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found a way to combat tumor resistance to treatment in glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of cancer.

Scientists have shown that it is possible to overcome tumor resistance to the standard drug temozolomide by influencing the biological process caused by an excess of nitric oxide molecules. This process helps the tumor survive and resist therapy. The experimental compound BA-101 blocks the tumor’s defense mechanism and dramatically reduces the aggressiveness of cancer cells. The work was published in the journal Cancer Medicine.

In preclinical studies, the combination of BA-101 and temozolomide showed a strong antitumor effect: it slowed down cell growth, limited their metastases and triggered the process of cell death. In mice, this combination treatment significantly slowed tumor growth. The new substance is being developed as a potential first-in-class treatment for glioblastoma.

“Temozolomide resistance remains one of the biggest barriers to treating glioblastoma,” said study leader Professor Haitham Amal. “Our results show that the combination of drugs can disrupt tumor defenses. More research is required before this approach can be made available to patients, but the work opens a new direction for creating effective treatments for one of the deadliest types of cancer.”