Description of Dr. Olaf van Tellingen’s Research

The funds raised are currently being used for several important studies investigating the treatment of brain tumors with a combination of three different agents. These agents are already individually used in treating certain types of cancer. They work in those cancers because their growth is primarily driven by one form of growth stimulation. However, in the case of brain tumors, these agents are ineffective when used alone, as brain tumor cells are stimulated to grow in multiple ways. To successfully suppress brain tumor growth, all these growth stimuli need to be simultaneously inhibited. We have devised a combination of agents that should be able to achieve this.

In tumor cell cultures (in petri dishes), this combination has proven to be very effective. Applying this combination requires relatively low concentrations of each agent. This is important because these agents can cause side effects at higher doses.

In the studies we are currently working on, we are examining the effect at low doses, where the drug levels in the blood do not exceed those tolerated by patients. With this combination, our initial tests have shown a good anti-tumor response. We have observed in petri dishes that this combination can not only suppress tumor growth but also lead to a change in the tumor that makes it much more visible to the body’s immune cells. This way, the body itself could help in clearing out the tumor cells. Our follow-up research will also focus on this aspect.