Novel Treatment Strategies for Brain Tumors and Metastases

Abstract

This review summarizes patent applications in the past 5 years for the management of brain tumors and metastases. Most of the recent patents discuss one of the following strategies: the development of new drug entities that specifically target the brain cells, the blood–brain barrier and the tumor cells, tailor-designing a novel carrier system that is able to perform multitasks and multifunction as a drug carrier, targeting vehicle and even as a diagnostic tool, direct conjugation of a US FDA approved drug with a targeting moiety, diagnostic moiety or PK modifying moiety, or the use of innovative nontraditional approaches such as genetic engineering, stem cells and vaccinations. Until now, there has been no optimal strategy to deliver therapeutic agents to the CNS for the treatment of brain tumors and metastases. Intensive research efforts are actively ongoing to take brain tumor targeting, and novel and targeted CNS delivery systems to potential clinical application.

Brain Metastasis of Breast Cancer: Crossing the Blood-brain Barrier

“…Clinical trials using inhibitors targeting HER2 have witnessed the increase in the time for brain metastases to develop and decrease the frequency of CNS involvement at progression [24,25]. However, Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab) has limited ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and is less effective in preventing the development of cerebral disease [26]. Therefore, new therapies focusing on the prevention of brain metastases and/or on increasing the permeability of the BBB to allow systemic therapies to reach the brain should be sought.…”

The Role of Diffusion-Weighted Mri in Differential Diagnosis and Prediction of Survival in Patients With Brain Metastases

“…Диагностика данной группы опухолей, как правило, не вызывает затруднений и основана на анализе клинико-неврологического обследования пациента и данных магнитно-резонансной томографии (МРТ) с проведением контрастного усиления. Тем не менее некоторые виды метастатических опухолей вызывают затруднения в дифференциальной диагностике, так как имеют схожие сигнальные характеристики на стандартных Т1-и Т2-взвешенных изображениях (Т1-, Т2-ВИ) с глиомами высокой степени злокачественности, лимфомами, абсцессами, псевдотуморозной формой рас-сеянного склероза и подострым инфарктом вещества головного мозга [3,4].…”

Patents and Innovation Among Neurosurgeons from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons

“…Spine typically garners significant interest, considering the high cost of implants and the routine use of pedicle screw/rod systems and interbody devices for spine reconstruction [3][4]. In the field of brain tumors, patents include novel methods of diagnosis/intraoperative detection, intracavitary drug treatments, and vaccine therapies [5][6][7]. The development of image-guided stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with the introduction of the Gamma Knife (Electa, Stockholm, Sweden) and CyberKnife (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, California) have provided targeting of cranial and spinal lesions with greater precision and accuracy than standard external beam radiation therapy with excellent long-term results [8][9].…”