NEURO-ONCOLOGY AND TARGETED THERAPIES FOR GLIOBLASTOMA

Abstract

Due to its nonresponsiveness to standard therapy, cellular diversity, and advanced growth rate, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a great clinical problem.  The research adopted a mixed-methods study that enrolled 120 GBM patients stratified into standard and targeted treatment groups to evaluate the effectiveness of the targeted medical techniques in the combination with neuro-oncology standards.  The quantitative outcomes included MRI volumetrics, progression-free survival (PFS) and molecular biomarker dynamics measured using digital droplet PCR and next generation sequencing tools.  Having achieved mean tumor volume reduction of 22% after three treatment courses, targeted therapies, namely, bevacizumab, EGFR inhibitors, and IDH1 modulators, showed a statistically significant improvement in PFS (p < 0.01).  The responders had a stronger response towards treatment and a low rate of recurrence as seen with molecular responders; mostly on IDH 1 mutation and methylated MGMT promoter molecules.  It was also found that the specific population has experienced a positive impact in terms of treatment satisfaction, emotional coping, and cognitive clarity during qualitative interviews with patients and caregivers.  Thematic analysis confirmed that integrated care models proffered a disease pathway that was more dignified and manageable.  On balance, this paper identifies that patient-centered and precision-driven care plays a decisive role in the treatment of GBM and provides a standardizable methodological scheme of further translation studies in neuro-oncology.