Coordinated Attack to the Signalling Paths of Glioblastoma
As I told you we are working intensively on the development of a new version of the chatbot however when I came across this news I decided immediately to write an article. This is a new CUSP-ND project that aims to fund a clinical trial similar to CUSP9v3, proposed by the Anti Cancer Alliance (http://aca.anticanceralliance.com) for patients with recurrent glioblastoma, this time on newly diagnosed patients. This is the video that explains the basic idea and the rationale behind it.
The video is in English, so I decided to report the basic steps below in order to improve the readability. High-grade gliomas kill more children than leukemia, more women than breast cancer, and younger men from testicular cancer, but because the patient population is relatively small compared to that of more common cancers, there is no economic incentive sufficient to push the development of new treatments. As a result, median overall survival has improved little over the past 30 years, going only 8 to 15 months after diagnosis.
If we were to receive a diagnosis of glioblastoma today we would necessarily have to prepare to die since the standard treatments available are not capable of saving life except in very rare lucky cases. We would therefore try to try experimental treatments which, however, only become available when standard treatments have failed. The question is therefore whether we have to wait for a treatment to fail before having access to experimental therapies, when one knows from the beginning that sooner or later the standard treatment will fail.
The history of cancer teaches us that when doctors and patients work together, great results can be achieved. CUSP-ND is a project that arises from an international collaboration of doctors, researchers, patients and long-term survivors who share the desire to offer patients who are suffering from glioblastoma today, better treatment opportunities. The group was formed after the release of the Surviving Terminal Cancer movie which tells the story of 3 patients who defeated glioblastoma through a radical treatment strategy that used the off-label drug cocktail approach. The research is led by Prof. Dr. Marc-Eric Halatsch of the University of Ulm in Germany who has already successfully participated in the CUSP9v3 clinical trial. It is believed that using the same approach on new diagnoses the results can be even better. The Standard of Care for glioblastoma patients is notoriously palliative. One of the hallmarks of tumors in general and of glioblastoma multiforme in particular is the development of cellular resistance that cannot be adequately managed by treatments that involve the use of a single drug. When the cancer is in its infancy, a single drug such as Temozolomide can achieve some results but, as the cancer develops, new mutations arise that complicate treatments. A single drug can achieve some results and eliminate a significant number of cancer cells. The problem lies in the cells that survive that develop rapidly and in each new generation develop better survival mechanisms that allow them to resist the treatments carried out through the same drugs they have learned to recognize.
The sequential treatment mechanism, therefore, even if in the initial phase may show some efficacy, is counterproductive in the long term. Administering several drugs in sequence does not allow to exploit the window of opportunity represented by the damage produced by the single treatment on which other treatments could leverage. The idea of the CUSP-ND project is to use off-label drugs available on the market that have an effect on some signalling paths of glioblastoma. Using them in parallel they can be much more effective both in producing damage to the glioblastoma and against the development of resistance to individual drugs. When a drug blocks a glioblastoma growth path it uses the other pathways not yet blocked. By blocking in parallel as many growth paths as possible, the Standard of Care can also be made more effective. The CUSP-ND project aims to carry out a real clinical trial to evaluate the real effectiveness of this line of treatment by adding a cocktail of off-label drugs to the Standard of Care.
In fact, even though the STUPP protocol, representing the Standard of Care, is the best known therapy, it is clear that it is not saving patients’ lives!
Hello. My husband was just diagnosed gbm 4gr unmethylated -that is all we know at this moment. The tumor was “completely” removed, a size about a golf ball. We are having a meeting on 19.5.2021, and should decide how to proceed i.e take the offered treatments or not. My husband is otherwise very healthy and 48 yrs old. Is it possible to paticipate in this trial for newly diagnosed gbm patients?
Just read your question here Veera & thought to reply as it seems no one has yet! Instead of waiting here for someone to reply — that maybe (or maybe not) has an answer — go ahead and contact the ppl that head these trials.
If nothing else get Ben Williams’ book & start doing everything he did ASAP.
I agree with your suggestion!
Hi Vera, Prof.Marc-Eric is collecting money to fund this trial … it is called “CUSP9v3 Phase II” and I’m trying to collect money for this purpose too (https://gofund.me/b3587ff7). I think we will manage to start recruiting patients by the end of this year but you should take action before we succeed.
Hi,
My mom (52 years old) has been diagnosed with GBM a month ago. Things moved fast and she had surgery immediately. Tumor was approx. 3 cms and has been removed completely. She has already finished her second week of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Reading how aggressive glioblastomas are, we want to explore all options, not just standard treatment. I started reading Ben William’s book and it gives me so much hope!
While his story is successful, I am not sure what is the dosage he used on all the drugs he took. Is there any advice on this?
Also as I’m still trying to gather as much info as I can, but is there a way to register for clinical trials (especially CUSP9v3 Phase II)?
Hi,
My mom (52 years old) has been diagnosed with GBM a month ago. Things moved fast and she had surgery immediately. Tumor was approx. 3 cms and has been removed completely. She has already finished her second week of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Reading how aggressive glioblastomas are, we want to explore all options, not just standard treatment. I started reading Ben William’s book and it gives me so much hope!
While his story is successful, I am not sure what is the dosage he used on all the drugs he took. Is there any advice on this?
Also as I’m still trying to gather as much info as I can, but is there a way to register for clinical trials (especially CUSP9v3 Phase II)?
Thanks!
CUSP9v3 Phase II has not yet started recruiting but you can contact the principal investigator Prof.Marc-Eric Halatsch.
Thanks Roberto for the fast answer.
What would be the best way to contact Prof.Marc-Eric Halatsch?
I found online this Marc-Eric.Halatsch@uniklinik-ulm.de but I am not sure this is still up to date.
Would you please be able to give some guidance on this?
Prof. Halatsch moved to Winterthur, Switzerland. I think you can find him there. Not sure of what happens if you send him an email using the old mail address.
I’m interested to find out about the CuSP9v3 trial. I was diagnosed in march 2022. So far no return but know my time may be limited. I did radiation and chemo, 8 rounds so far. My tumors were 7 cm and 1 cm completely eradicated. They were unmethylated and wild type. I just watched the Ben Williams video and just bought his book.I would like to get any information I can about the trial or a current one.
My husband Pierre
was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma January 26, 2023 from biopsy… just over two weeks ago. A complete resection was completed January 23,2023.
Can he participate in this trial?
Dear Kim, you should contact the principal investigator of the study.