Dr. Chris Moertel, Director of the Children’s Tumor Foundation Neurofibromatosis Clinic Network Affiliate Clinic at the University of Minnesota, is making progress in what has largely been an elusive area for clinical researchers – the development of vaccines to treat brain tumors. Dr. Moertel pioneered these studies by successfully halting brain tumor growth in a dog which had been injected with cell matter harvested from its own tumor. He has since advanced the trials into seven patients with malignant glioma who have been treated with vaccine made from their own tumor matter. It is very early days but these studies look promising and will continue. Vaccines have been challenging to develop but if successful would reduce the need for using chemotherapy drugs. The target is currently malignant cancer but looking ahead there may be potential to apply a similar approach to neurofibromatosis tumors. View a short TV interview with Dr. Moertel talking about the work here.
Foundation’s NF Clinic Network Director Advances Brain Tumor Vaccine Research
