AI, organoids revolutionize glioblastoma treatment

For years, doctors have used a standard course of cancer treatment for patients with glioblastoma brain tumors – a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. But the survival rate is still a dismal 6.8%, and the average patient lives only eight months after diagnosis.

This issue is personal for Antonio Iavarone, M.D., deputy director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. With much of his career spent as a pediatric oncologist, he became discouraged that he could not offer more to young patients struggling with cancerous brain tumors.

“In children, brain tumors are the most frequent cause of death and there is very little you can do,” he said.

Until now.

Dr. Iavarone joined the latest episode of the Inside U Miami Medicine podcast to share how he and his team are using a suite of innovative tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and tumor organoids (also known as patient avatars), to combat these tough-to-tackle tumors.

Tune in to hear how the team uses machine learning and precise tests on surgically resected tumors to target them for treatment.