Precision Laser Beam Tackling Impossible To Treat Brain Tumors

After being told in October he would only have a year to live, Pablo Casasbuenas, 36,  has had his brain tumor treated with the laser and is back to living his life again, awaking from the procedure feeling fine with a tiny plaster in his head, to return to running within 7 days of surgery and a duathlon in three weeks.

Studies have shown this pioneering procedure to almost double survival time for patients with inoperable brain tumors; and provide an alternative to aggressive chemotherapy or radiotherapy which may further damage sensitive brain tissues.

The procedure involved a fine narrow tube being inserted into the tumor before the laser was beamed down it gradually heating up to 70 degrees celsius, breaking down and killing the cancerous cells. During the procedure real time MRI images of the brain were sent to a computer screen which allowed the surgeons to monitor where the laser was working.

Each year hundreds of brain tumor patients are denied surgery due to the damage it can cause to surrounding healthy tissue. The Visualase laser is so precise it can treat aggressive hard to reach brain tumors with minimal damage; often patients can go home the following day as compared to a 10 day hospital stay after conventional brain surgery.

Within the UK over 11,000 patients are diagnosed with brain tumor every year, only around 11% of adults will currently survive for 5 years after diagnosis. Mr. Casasbuenas was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2014, he became the first patient to undergo the treatment at The Harley Street Clinic in London after it was given European approval for use in April.

Following Casasbuenas’ initial diagnosis radiotherapy was used to shrink the tumor and he also needed chemotherapy. However a routine scan in 2017 showed a tumor had grown on the left frontal lobe and there was a speak on the right lobe as well; targeted radiotherapy treated the right side, and open brain surgery removed more than 90% of the tumor, although the left side was cancer free the right speck continued to grow.

Fearing additional brain surgery putting him at risk of waking up as a zombie he decided to undergo the laser treatment. He was given a general anaesthetic for the three hour procedure which is currently unavailable to NHS patients. A 3mm hole was drilled into Casasbuenas’ skull, and guided by MRI the laser was navigated to the tumor via a catheter measuring 1.65mm in diameter, when fired into the tumor the laser and heat of the light energy gradually increased to destroy the cancerous cells. MRI monitored the treatment in real time, once the entire area was free of the tumor the surgeons withdrew the catheter and laser, closing the hole with a single stitch.

This pioneering laser assisted brain surgery with robotics with only a keyhole sized opening is delivered under real time MRI monitoring for control, meaning that brain tumors can be safely treated in places which were previously deemed to be not possible to treat, says Professor Keyoumars Ashkan.