The Adena Cancer Center is offering its patients a new FDA-approved break-through therapy option for the most common and deadliest type of primary brain cancer.
Experts at the Adena Cancer Center are now certified to prescribe Optune, a wearable and portable medical device that allows patients to go about their daily activities at work or home, while traveling or at social functions while receiving treatment for glioblastoma (GBM). Optune is the first FDA-approved therapy in more than a decade for newly diagnosed GBM.
“Our goal is to treat cancer patients with the latest, approved therapies available, so we are pleased to add Optune as part of a combination treatment for those fighting GBM,” said Dr. Alex Willison, Adena Cancer Center Medical Director. “We also know how important quality of life is to patients and Optune is a therapy that allows patients to go about their daily activities with minimal disruption to their lives.”
For newly diagnosed patients, Optune is used in combination with their chemotherapy. In clinical trials, adding Optune as a form treatment has proven to delay GBM tumor growth and extend survival in newly diagnosed patients compared with chemotherapy alone. Other benefits for patients have included causing less infections, less nausea and vomiting, less diarrhea and lowered blood counts, many of the side effects of chemotherapy.
The lightweight Optune device is worn on the patient’s head and creates low-intensity electric fields, which help slow or stop GBM cancer cells from dividing and may also cause some of them to die. Patients are also free to wear loose-knit wigs, hats and head coverings over the device as well allowing them to conduct their daily activities with confidence.
For more information on Optune and the Adena Cancer Center, visit adena.org/optune or call 740-542-3030.