Efficacy and Safety of Treating Glioblastoma With Tumor-Treating Fields Therapy.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive astrocytoma with a dismal prognosis. Since 1976, only three chemotherapeutic agents have been approved for the treatment of GBM. Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) therapy, delivered via a noninvasive device, is a new therapy approved for use in patients with recurrent GBM and in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM. This article reviews the mechanism of action and findings from preclinical and clinical studies supporting the use of TTFields for patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM. This article provides an overview of published literature on the efficacy and safety of treating GBM with TTFields. For the first time in more than a decade, patients with GBM have a noninvasive treatment option that has been shown to increase progression-free survival and overall survival with minimal adverse events.