Northwestern Memorial Pioneers Brain Cancer Vaccine Trials

Chicago-based Northwestern Memorial Hospital has joined phase II clinical trials investigating if individually crafted brain tumor vaccines slow the progression of the disease, according to a report from Health Canal.

The study is chaired by Andrew T. Parsa, MD, PhD, who is Northwestern Memorial Hospital's chair of neurosurgery. The trails are funded by the National Cancer Institute.

While Northwestern Memorial has just enrolled as the first Midwest and third national participant, the trial will eventually enroll more than 200 patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, a common and aggressive malignant brain tumor.

Researchers will perform treatments to see if vaccines based on individuals' tumor characteristics are effective in slowing or stopping glioblastoma multiforme altogether. 

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