Glioblastomas are malignant brain tumours that are still considered incurable. Even in the early stages, the tumour cells begin to migrate and criss-cross the brain with a kind of network structure. It is therefore impossible to completely remove the tumours through surgery or radiotherapy.
Boost for the immune system
A Frankfurt research team led by Prof. Dr Joachim Steinbach, Head of the Dr Senckenberg Institute of Neurooncology and Scientific Director of the University Centre for Tumour Diseases (UCT), has developed an innovative treatment method. At the UCT, glioblastoma patients who have suffered a relapse are now being treated with so-called natural killer cells (NK cells) as part of a clinical trial. The NK cells, which are isolated in advance of the operation and genetically modified at the Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohaematology of the DRK Blood Donor Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen, are injected into the tissue of the surgical site by a doctor during the tumour operation in parallel with the surgical removal of the tumour. Due to their modification, these NK cells "recognise" the tumour-associated antigen HER2, which is present on the surface of many tumour cells. "The tumour cells that remain despite the operation can be attacked in this way and the immune system activated against them. In this way, we want to prevent the tumour cells from spreading again," explains Joachim Steinbach. So far, the method has been used in five patients.
Biobank processes study samples
The immune cells used are among the first immunotherapeutics of this type worldwide to be tested in a clinical trial. The interdisciplinary Biomaterial and Database Frankfurt (iBDF) was responsible for the logistics, storage and preparation of the study samples as part of the clinical trial. The projects preceding the clinical trial were already supported by the iBDF through the provision and processing of examination and sample material.
Picture credits: Dr Senckenberg Foundation
Scientific publication
Zhang C, Burger MC, Jennewein L, Genßler S, Schönfeld K, Zeiner P, Hattingen E, Harter PN, Mittelbronn M, Tonn T, Steinbach JP, Wels WS. ErbB2/HER2-Specific NK Cells for Targeted Therapy of Glioblastoma. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2015 Dec 6;108(5). doi: 10.1093/jnci/djv375. Print 2016 May.