Treatment — light: two studies to combat glioblastoma have begun in Russia
At the end of 2025, two innovative studies on the treatment of the most aggressive brain tumor, glioblastoma, were launched in Russia. The first method is based on photodynamic therapy: tumor cells are destroyed using a special drug and light. And in the second approach, a balloon electronic brachytherapy system is used — the damaged brain tissues are exposed to a local dose of radiation. Innovative methods will help to increase life expectancy without relapse, experts say. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.
How will glioblastoma be treated?
Russian doctors have launched two innovative studies on the treatment of patients with glioblastoma. In the first approach, which was developed by doctors from the Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnology of the FMBA, photodynamic therapy is used for surgical removal of tumors: cancer-damaged cells are killed using a special drug and light. And the European Medical Center (EMC) has launched a study on the treatment of glioblastoma, combining surgical removal of the tumor with a special technology — a balloon electronic brachytherapy system (a type of contact radiation therapy).
Glioblastoma is a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord that does not metastasize (secondary tumor foci), but spreads rapidly to surrounding tissues, which complicates its treatment. The average life expectancy of a patient after diagnosis ranges from 12 to 14 months.
The balloon electronic brachytherapy system allows you to affect brain tissue with a local dose of radiation immediately after glioblastoma removal, explained Alexey Gaitan, Candidate of Medical Sciences, neurosurgeon at the EMC Clinic, associate professor of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery with a course of comprehensive rehabilitation at the RUDN University.
After the tumor is removed, an applicator balloon is inserted into the postoperative cavity, which is inflated in a special way to fit its size, fitting tightly to the walls. Next, a mini-emitter is inserted there, which is connected to a device for radiation therapy. During the operation, an irradiation session is performed, which, depending on the volume of the balloon, takes from 7 to 20 minutes, the doctor said.
After the completion of balloon therapy, the operation, according to him, is completed as usual, and the patient receives chemoradiotherapy for a month according to the standard protocol.
"Since 2016, we have been using this method to treat recurrent glioblastoma and some other malignant brain tumors,— said Alexey Gaitan. — Thanks to this technology, we began to receive "long-livers", patients lived for three to five years or more after therapy. And recently we decided that we can try it for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
The neurosurgeon noted that the EMC clinic performed operations on five patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
— We plan to treat 15 people, this is a pilot group. We are currently recruiting patients in order to obtain scientific data and summarize what we have achieved. Based on the results of the pilot project, it will be decided whether we can continue this research and recruit a more extensive group for statistical reliability," the specialist said.
The research of an innovative treatment method is conducted under the auspices of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), and financial support is provided by the Blagodeyanie and Dobrota Severa foundations.
Alexey Gaitan stressed that the standard therapy for patients with glioblastoma, surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy, which was developed 20 years ago, does not give satisfactory results. The average life expectancy after surgery is only 14-16 months.
Laser beam against cancer
Another clinical study of the glioblastoma treatment method started in December 2025, the Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnology of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) of Russia told Izvestia. It is performed using intraoperative (exposure occurs during surgery) photodynamic therapy.
"This is the targeted destruction of damaged cells using a special drug and light. A patient with glioblastoma is injected with a substance that accumulates only in tumor cells and makes them photosensitive. During the operation, the surgeon directs a laser beam to the area that needs to be removed," the brain center said.
The light activates the drug accumulated in the damaged cells and triggers a cascade of reactions that destroy the tumor tissue, but do not affect neighboring healthy cells.
The Brain Center recalled that despite the fact that glioblastoma treatment methods are being improved, this type of tumor remains one of the most aggressive. As experts admit, even with its radical removal, some of the cancer cells remain in the surrounding tissues.
"The technique is safe because the traumatic nature of the operation does not increase, and the number of tumor cells remaining after the intervention becomes smaller. This can help prolong the life of patients, which is confirmed by the data of modern research," the Brain Center assured.
Experts noted that the method of intraoperative photodynamic therapy, for example in Japan, has already been included in the treatment standards. And to implement this method in Russia, it is necessary to conduct a high-quality clinical trial.
How often is glioblastoma diagnosed?
About 30 thousand cases of primary brain tumors are diagnosed in Russia every year, and glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive of them. Such statistics were provided to Izvestia by the Dobrota Severa Foundation.
"12-14 months is the average life expectancy after diagnosis. More than 4,000 Russians die from glioblastoma every year. At the same time, the largest number of cases occur at the age of 40 to 54 years (30.8%) and from 55 to 69 years (31.4%)," the foundation noted.
The innovative method of glioblastoma treatment, which is being studied by EMC doctors, will help not only increase the life expectancy of patients, but also improve its quality, says Svetlana Kulikova, director of the Blagodeenie Foundation.
— We hope that the results of the study will serve as the basis for the introduction of this method into widespread practice. Glioblastoma is very aggressive, singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky, singer Zhanna Friske and actress Anastasia Zavorotnyuk died from it. The survival rate of patients with this tumor is very low, and relapses often occur," she said.
When a person is offered treatment that is not part of the standard protocols, he faces a difficult choice for which he must be responsible, believes Yulia Korsunskaya, coordinator of the ward support service at the AdVita Charitable Foundation.
"I had an extremely rare and dangerous hematological disease," she told Izvestia. — When I was offered treatment with a drug that had not been used in Russia before, I agreed without hesitation. At that moment, I was tired of the disease and the limitations associated with it, and I was ready to take the risk. That's what helped me overcome my difficulties at the time.
Izvestia sent a request to the Ministry of Health with a request to tell how the department evaluates new methods and how it will be possible to scale them if projects prove their effectiveness.
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