Glioblastoma Survivor - Matt Futer
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What if a common virus could be used to treat a seemingly-incurable form of brain cancer?
A treatment turned Matt Futer into the longest-living glioblastoma survivor at Houston Methodist. Today, Matt is an eleven year glioblastoma survivor. Hear Matt’s story.
Because his glioblastoma tumor was located in the speech and logic center of his brain, Matt Futer could only have a portion of the tumor removed. His original physician told him, “That’s it. Half your brain is cancer.” Soon after this prognosis, Matt found Dr. David Baskin and his team at Houston Methodist Kenneth R. Peak Brain and Pituitary Tumor Treatment Center . They treated the remaining tumor with a unique gene therapy clinical trial offered at Houston Methodist that attacks only the tumor cells.
The team worked from clinical strains of the herpes virus, deactivated it and then placed it inside a common cold virus where it replicates so quickly. They injected the edges of the remaining tumor in Matt’s brain with the virus, which rapidly multiplied in the tumor. Then they treated Matt with a drug that targets the herpes virus. While destroying the herpes/cold virus, the drug also destroyed the tumor cells and left normal brain tissue alone.
Learn more about advanced treatment and procedures for brain and pituitary tumors.
Kenneth R. Peak Brain and Pituitary Tumor Treatment & Research Center
Houston Methodist Hospital - Texas Medical Center
6445 Main Street, Outpatient Center, Floor 24
Houston, TX 77030
713.441.8500