The project titled “Improving glioblastoma immunotherapy by selectively blocking macrophage activity” explores a new way of possibly treating glioblastoma (GBM) and might soon pave the way for a clinical trial.

There is a clear need for new glioblastoma therapies that are more effective than today’s options that still only offer patients limited hope when faced with their diagnosis. Modern immunotherapy-based approaches have led to improved outcomes in other cancers, but GBM remains largely resistant to these recent advancements.

“Glioblastoma is currently an incurable disease with very limited treatment options. Therapies that induce the patient’s immune system to eradicate their cancer have been successful in other cancer types, but so far have not worked in glioblastoma. Our Brain Cancer Canada grant will test a novel immunotherapy approach, hopefully providing a new and effective treatment for glioblastoma patients,” says Dr. Lorimer. “A colleague of mine was recently diagnosed with glioblastoma and I experience a mixture of grief and frustration with this news. We can stop this disease, but it takes a team and fundraisers such as Brain Cancer Canada, the Andrea Villamere Memorial Golf Tournament and the JP Leclerc Memorial Golf Tournament are a critical and essential part of this team.”