Brain cancer patients deserve better—and a groundbreaking new trial is finally offering hope. For decades, glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, has left patients with limited treatment options and a grim prognosis. But a revolutionary clinical trial, dubbed ‘5G,’ is poised to change the game for UK patients, offering a glimmer of hope where there was once only despair.
Brain tumors are devastating, robbing individuals not only of their physical abilities but also of their very sense of self. Despite significant advancements in understanding brain cancers, treatment progress, especially in drug therapies, has lagged far behind other cancer types. And this is the part most people miss: while the US FDA approved 26 new breast cancer treatments between 2000 and 2023, glioblastoma patients saw only two new drugs—temozolomide and bevacizumab—during the same period. (Sources: Breast Cancer Treatments, Glioblastoma Drugs)
But here’s where it gets controversial: Richard Mair, a consultant neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, argues that this stagnation is rooted in a series of overlapping ‘nihilisms.’ From surgical nihilism—the belief that aggressive surgeries aren’t worth the effort—to therapeutic nihilism, where researchers doubt the feasibility of developing brain tumor drugs, these attitudes have stifled progress. Mair also highlights ‘pharmaceutical nihilism,’ where drug manufacturers hesitate to trial existing drugs on brain cancer patients due to their fragility and the high risk of complications. Is this reluctance justified, or are we letting profit margins dictate who gets a fighting chance?
Another hurdle is the rarity of brain tumors compared to other cancers, leading to ‘financial nihilism’—the belief that there aren’t enough patients to justify the cost of drug development. But should profitability be the deciding factor in who gets access to potentially life-saving treatments?
The 5G trial, funded by Cancer Research UK and Minderoo, is tackling these challenges head-on. By rapidly identifying promising drug candidates and leveraging existing therapies already proven safe in other cancers, it’s a ‘first-in-brain’ approach rather than ‘first-in-human.’ This trial is designed to be adaptive, allowing researchers to pivot quickly based on early results, and flexible, enabling the testing of drug combinations in real time. Could this be the turning point brain cancer patients have been waiting for?
One of the trial’s most innovative features is its ability to iterate. If a specific mutation combination isn’t responding, researchers can adjust the trial to focus on more promising subgroups. This precision medicine approach is a stark contrast to traditional trials, where a one-size-fits-all strategy often falls short. But will this level of customization be scalable, or is it a luxury only a few will ever access?
Since its launch, 5G has already initiated several sub-trials, testing combinations like avutometinib and dafectinib, which have shown promise in ovarian cancer. Preliminary results are expected soon, and while brain cancer’s rapid progression means quick feedback on drug efficacy, it also underscores the urgency of this work. What if we could not only extend lives but also improve their quality, giving patients more time to be themselves?
Ultimately, this trial is about restoring hope to a community that has been underserved for far too long. As Richard Mair puts it, ‘We need to remove these vulnerable patients from the clutches of charlatans and give them a viable alternative.’ But is hope enough, or do we need systemic change to ensure every patient, regardless of location or financial status, has access to cutting-edge trials and treatments?
The late Tessa Jowell’s call to empower patients in their care decisions resonates deeply here. What do you think? Is the 5G trial a beacon of hope or just a drop in the ocean of what’s needed? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s keep this conversation going.