Why is brain cancer so hard to treat?
Summary
Dr. Michelle Mangé discusses her two-decade effort to understand brain tumors through the lens of cancer neuroscience, revealing that neuronal activity and electrical signaling actually drive tumor growth. She explains how disrupting these connections with existing anti-seizure medications offers a new therapeutic avenue, which is currently being tested in clinical trials.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and show introduction
Introduction to Dr. Michelle Mangé and brain cancer challenges
Early career and the mystery of childhood brain tumors
Creating the first lab model from a patient's donation
Why brain cancer is difficult to treat
How neural activity drives tumor growth and invasion
Sponsor break
Disrupting electrical signals with existing medicines
Clinical trials and retrospective data analysis
The need for multimodal treatment approaches
CAR T cell therapy targeting GD2 in gliomas
Personal motivation and broader cancer neuroscience impact
Closing remarks and credits
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