Glioblastoma, a deadly type of primary brain tumor, continues to challenge doctors and researchers due to its aggressive nature.
Some patients may find help from a group of drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, which work by stimulating the body’s immune response against cancer cells.
Unfortunately, these treatments sometimes cause an undesirable side effect: brain swelling or cerebral edema.
Currently, cerebral edema is managed using steroids. The problem is, these steroids are highly immunosuppressive, essentially reducing the effectiveness of the immune-boosting cancer treatments.
This catch-22 has led scientists to urgently search for safer, non-immunosuppressive alternatives.
A Potential Solution: Losartan
In a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital, researchers found that a blood pressure medication, Losartan, might help prevent cerebral edema caused by immunotherapy.
The team discovered that immunotherapy-related edema stems from an inflammatory response that disrupts the blood-tumor barrier, a modification of the standard blood-brain barrier associated with brain cancer.
This disruption leads to blood vessel leakage, causing edema.
The researchers showed that Losartan could reduce this inflammation and prevent the resulting edema. It works by reducing the expression of enzymes that cause inflammation and blood vessel leakage.
Additionally, Losartan appeared to have several other beneficial effects within the tumor environment, enhancing the body’s anti-tumor immune response.
Impressive Results and Future Directions
In mouse models of glioblastoma, combining Losartan with an immune checkpoint inhibitor improved survival rates, curing 20% of the mice. This figure jumped to 40% when combined with standard care.
The research team noted the safety, efficacy, and affordability of Losartan, stating it could be readily prescribed alongside immunotherapy to patients with glioblastoma.
Further studies will be needed to validate these promising results in human trials. If successful, this could be a significant breakthrough for those fighting this aggressive form of brain cancer.
The study, conducted by Rakesh K. Jain and colleagues, was published in the journal PNAS.
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