On June 1, 2022 Monteris Medical reported that a paper on laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for patients diagnosed with IDH wild–type glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive tumor originating in the brain, has been published in the journal, Neuro- Oncology Advances (Press release, Monteris Medical, JUN 1, 2022, https://www.monteris.com/press-releases/monteris-medical-announces-publication-of-largest-cohort-to-date-of-litt-for-treating-most-aggressive-brain-tumor/ [SID1234615327]). The data on 89 patients collected through the LAANTERN prospective, multi-center registry, showed that LITT offers an effective alternative to traditional surgery for patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma while also delivering the benefits of a minimally invasive surgical procedure, including short recovery time and reduced potential for side effects.
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The publication demonstrated that for newly diagnosed patients treated with LITT followed by standard of care chemotherapy and radiation, overall survival (16.14 months) and progression free survival (11.93 months) are comparable to published outcomes where traditional surgery was used. For patients with recurrent disease, no standard of care is currently established; however, this study showed median post-LITT survival of nearly nine months, compared to the range of 5-13 months observed for traditional surgery. In addition, the functional status of patients stabilized or improved at one month post-LITT.
IDH (isocitrate dehydrogenase – a genetic mutation) wild-type glioblastomas require immediate intervention. With standard of care therapy, median overall survival for glioblastoma is estimated at 15-18 months with fewer than 10% of patients alive at five years. Other molecularly defined gliomas may be less prevalent than IDH wild-type, but they are known to have longer survival rates. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to stratify research by sub-type and molecular characteristics to control for the variability in survival rates across all glioma types.
Dr. John de Groot, lead author of the paper and division chief of neuro-oncology at the University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, said, "For patients with glioblastoma, treatment options are limited, especially for those with recurrent disease. These data clearly demonstrate that LITT remains a critical tool for achieving maximal safe cytoreduction of the tumor and is especially effective when followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The minimally invasive nature of LITT, short recovery, and favorable side effect profile make LITT a safe and effective option."
About 25,000 primary brain tumors are diagnosed in the United States each year. Of these, about 15% are glioblastomas. Those glioblastomas that are moleculary-defined as IDH wild-type tend to grow rapidly and have a worse prognosis than other tumor types.
Martin J. Emerson, president and chief executive officer of Monteris, said, "Congratulations to the LAANTERN physicians and their research teams on the publication of this essential study on LITT and primary brain tumors. We are so grateful to the patients that gave their time and energy to participate in this study. The collective body of evidence that continues to emerge in support of laser ablation has firmly established LITT’s position in the care continuum for appropriate brain tumor and epilepsy patients."
About LAANTERN
LAANTERN is a post-market study designed to evaluate the performance and utilization of the NeuroBlate System in the standard of care, "real-world" setting. This is the first prospective multicenter laser ablation study. All sites operate under an IRB-approved protocol and undergo rigorous data management and monitoring practices to ensure data quality and consistency. The registry will follow up to 3,000 patients for five years evaluating safety, quality of life, health economics and procedural outcomes, including survival and seizure freedom.