Immunotherapy is a treatment type that aims to boost the immune system in the fight against cancer.
The therapy has proven to be very successful against various aggressive cancers, such as triple-negative breast cancer.
However, immunotherapy actually helps fewer than 1 in 10 people with glioblastoma.
This is a form of brain cancer with a median outlook of only 15–18 months.
So, why does immunotherapy not work as effectively in these tumors? A team of scientists led by Raul Rabadan, Ph.D. — a professor of systems biology and biomedical informatics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, NY — set out to investigate.
