September 18, 2025

By Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science staff

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Learn more about alumni research. A recent Mayo Clinic study reports that a novel treatment approach may improve overall survival in older patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma while maintaining quality of life.

Results of the phase 2, single-arm study were published in The Lancet Oncology. Glioblastoma is the most lethal type of primary brain cancer due to its aggressive nature and its treatment-resistant characteristics. Standard radiation therapy is commonly used to treat glioblastoma and can be effective, but also exposes healthy brain tissue to radiation.

Sujay Vora, M.D. (RADO ’00), chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, led a team of researchers investigating the use of short-course hypofractionated proton beam therapy incorporating advanced imaging techniques in patients over the age of 65 with newly diagnosed World Health Organization (WHO) grade 4, malignant glioblastoma.

Mayo investigators mapped the target area in the patient’s brain by combining advanced imaging technologies, including 18F-DOPA PET and contrast-enhanced MRI. Treatment was completed in one to two weeks instead of the traditional three to six weeks. Results showed that 56 percent of participants were alive after 12 months and the median overall survival was 13.1 months.