Breakthrough in the surgical treatment of glioblastoma

Glioblastoma continues to pose a major clinical challenge because of its aggressive nature, limited therapeutic options, and poor prognosis.
Specialists in Łódź have introduced an innovative surgical approach using 18F-FET PET imaging, allowing more accurate identification of active tumor tissue during resection.
Alongside advances in surgery, ongoing research into monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, and ADCs highlights the growing role of biological therapies in the search for more effective treatment.

Pioneering surgery at a hospital in Łódź

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive brain tumors. Specialists from a The Nicolaus Copernicus Provincial Multispecialty Center for Oncology and Traumatology in Łódź have performed the first surgery in Poland to remove the tumor using PET imaging with 18-fluorotyrosine (18F-FET).

During the procedure, the patient receives the 18F-FET. This substance becomes involved in the tumor’s metabolic processes and participates in protein synthesis. As a result, physicians can more precisely identify areas where tumor activity is higher than in healthy brain tissue.

Pioneering glioblastoma surgery at a hospital in Łódź — Fig. 1. Medical staff in Łódź performing a resection of a glioblastoma multiforme using PET imaging.

Until now, no glioblastoma removal surgery in Poland had been planned using PET imaging. The first patient who underwent surgery using the new method on March 6, is feeling very well and is already ready for the next stage of his fight against the disease.

Doctors at the hospital in Łódź are currently recruiting patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma who would like to participate in an innovative treatment program. Interested individuals can apply directly to the Department of Neurosurgery and Tumors of the Nervous System via mail or phone. The all procedures was performed as part of a scientific study funded by the Medical Research Agency.

Immunotherapy used to cure glioblastoma

Current approaches to the treatment of glioblastoma include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Surgery is not always possible, and systemic treatment is associated with well-known risks. The only approved biological therapy is bevacizumab (Avastin). This monoclonal antibody can help reduce tumor size or relieve swelling and symptoms in some patients, particularly in cases where the cancer has recurred after treatment. New targeted therapies are currently being investigated in clinical trials, including novel drugs, new therapeutic combinations, and innovative treatment approaches. These studies give patients the opportunity to access the latest solutions that may prove to be effective.

Glioblastoma remains a difficult target for biological therapy. The core problem is not lack of targetable biology, but a mismatch between mechanisms of action and hostile clinical reality. At present, the antibody class with the clearest clinical utility in glioblastoma is anti-VEGF therapy, checkpoint inhibitors and EGFR-directed antibodies. ADCs have shown mechanistic promise without producing an approved standard.

Fig. 2. Current immunotherapy modalities for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal type of tumor of the central nervous system, with an average survival of 15 months after first diagnosis. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, the five-year survival rate for patients is only 6.8%. Let us join forces to deliver a solution to the market that will help patients overcome this cancer.

Prepared by:

Jakub Knurek

Marketing Specialist

j.knurek@mabion.eu

Sources and further reading

Kopernik. Pierwsza w Polsce operacja. 2026.
Sarfraz Z, Maharaj A, Venur VA, Lathia JD, Odia Y, Ahluwalia MS. Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma: An Overview of Current Status. Clin Pharmacol. 2025; 17: 185-209.
Liu Y, Zhou F, Ali H, Lathia JD, Chen P. Immunotherapy for glioblastoma: current state, challenges, and future perspectives. Cell Mol Immunol. 2024; 21(12): 1354-1375.
Yu Z, Zhao G, Zhang Z, Li Y, Chen Y, Wang N, Zhao Z, Xie G. Efficacy and safety of bevacizumab for the treatment of glioblastoma. Exp Ther Med. 2016; 11(2): 371-380.
Parakh S, Nicolazzo J, Scott AM, Gan HK. Antibody Drug Conjugates in Glioblastoma – Is There a Future for Them? Front Oncol. 2021; 11: 718590.
Lim M, Xia Y, Bettegowda C, Weller M. Current state of immunotherapy for glioblastoma. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2018; 15(7): 422-442.
Kesumayadi I, Kambe A, Kanda H, Hosoya T, Sakamoto M, Kurosaki M. Bevacizumab enhances overall survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with high COX-2 expression. Sci Rep. 2026; 16(1): 4974.
Zoi V, Galani V, Sioka C, Alexiou GA, Kyritsis AP. Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: A Focus on PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel). 2025; 17(23): 3777.
Manzarbeitia-Arroba B, Hodolic M, Pichler R, Osipova O, Soriano-Castrejón ÁM, García-Vicente AM. ¹⁸F-Fluoroethyl-L Tyrosine Positron Emission Tomography Radiomics in the Differentiation of Treatment-Related Changes from Disease Progression in Patients with Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel). 2023; 16(1): 195.

FAQ

Yes, PET scans can visualize a much larger tumor volume compared to standard MRI scans. This allows for better planning of surgical treatment and radiation therapy with a wider scope than is possible with conventional techniques. Patient recruitment is currently underway at The Nicolaus Copernicus Provincial Multispecialty Center for Oncology and Traumatology in Łódź for individuals with newly diagnosed glioblastoma who would like to participate in an innovative treatment program.

The novelty of the proposed method lies in the use of positron emission tomography (PET) to plan surgical treatment, rather than relying solely on standard contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Surgery performed with the use of PET imaging requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine specialists already at the stage of planning the tumor resection.

A key role is played by 18-fluorotyrosine. This is a specially labeled amino acid that the patient receives before the procedure. Glioma cells, which require large amounts of building material for rapid growth, absorb tyrosine in significant quantities. As a result, during imaging they appear brighter compared with healthy brain tissue.

The limited availability of hospital equipment for tyrosine PET scans, as well as its high cost, remains a problem. An additional barrier is the lack of large-scale clinical trials that could serve as the basis for the international implementation of this method.

Glioma is a broad term for tumors that starts in glial cells that surround nerve endings in the brain. Glioblastoma is a specific type of glioma. It is a highly aggressive, rapidly growing primary brain tumor that develops in cells called astrocytes, which support nerve cells.