Laser treatment opens temporary window in blood-brain barrier

A laser system used to kill brain tumours also temporarily disrupts the blood-brain barrier, allowing chemotherapy drugs to pass into the brain for up to six weeks, finds a study published in PLoS One.1 The discovery may give doctors a window of opportunity to use drugs against glioblastoma that are normally ineffective, the researchers said.

Glioblastoma is the most common and lethal malignant brain tumour in adults. There is no effective long term treatment, and patients usually live for …