Brain tumors pose a major challenge in modern medicine due to their extremely aggressive and complex nature. Faced with this major challenge, Dr. Joan Seoane, an ICREA professor and Director of Translational Research at VHIO, has been at the forefront of research in this field with his team for more than 20 years, and shares with us some relevant insights about them.
Brain tumor: types
There are two main types of brain tumors: primary tumors, which originate in the brain, and metastatic tumors, which spread to the brain from other parts of the body.
As Dr. Seoane explains, each tumor requires a unique, personalized treatment approach, as they differ from one another, and both primary and metastatic tumors have distinct characteristics. In addition, because it is such an aggressive tumor, every small advance has a major impact on patients’ lives. For this reason, it is essential to invest in tumors like this as well, even though they have a low incidence.
In his laboratory, the team’s main mission is to understand the specific features of brain tumors and develop innovative treatments and drugs that can make a real difference in patients’ lives. They consider that studying these tumors close to patients is key to advancing effective treatments, and they do so by analyzing patient samples from VHIO (Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology).
Studying brain tumors through a multidisciplinary approach
Success in oncology research depends on collaboration across different disciplines. Dr. Seoane’s team is made up of experts from different areas who approach cancer from different perspectives, seeking solutions that truly change patients’ lives. This multidisciplinary approach requires innovative scientific approaches and is possible thanks to the support of foundations such as FERO, which help pioneering therapies become a reality.
“In order to discover new cancer drugs, we need to carry out innovative experiments, with new technology and different approaches. That is why it is so important to have the funding to be able to carry out these experiments, which are very costly,” says Dr. Seoane.
And we fully agree. Funding is essential to carry out projects that can change the landscape of medicine. Developing innovative treatments, conducting experiments, and testing new drugs requires financial support due to the high costs involved.
Thanks to FERO, Dr. Seoane’s team has been able to develop what is known as a liquid biopsy for brain tumors, which makes it possible to characterize a tumor and understand what it is like. As Dr. Seoane notes, our support has been fundamental to sustaining and advancing his team’s research. We are confident that many more achievements like this will follow in the future.
Immunotherapy as a pathway to combat brain cancer
One of the major revolutions in oncology in recent years has been immunotherapy. The next major step in Dr. Seoane’s research is to pursue it as a promising pathway to combat brain cancer. Immunotherapy, which stimulates the patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells, is emerging as a revolutionary option that could bring us ever closer to a cure.
Dr. Seoane and his team’s commitment to research and the development of new treatments not only offers hope to today’s patients, but also paves the way for a future in which brain cancer can be controlled and eventually cured. By continuing along this path of innovation and collaboration, we are getting closer every day to major advances in understanding the disease. FERO will follow this project, in which we have such confidence, very closely.
