Laser Ablation of Wild-Type IDH-Positive Glioblastoma Found Noninferior to Surgical Resection

In the prospective, multicenter LAANTERN trial (NCT05075850), individuals (n=89) with newly diagnosed glioblastoma positive for the biomarker wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH⁺), treated with laser interstitial thermal therapy (NeuroBlate System; Monteris Medical, Minnetonka, MN) had comparable outcomes to that seen with surgical resection. Treatment with LITT was followed by standard-of-care treatment with chemotherapy and radiation. 

Mean overall survival and progression-free survival were 16.4 and 11.93 months, respectively. Median postLITT survival was almost 9 months, compared to the range of 5 to 13 months with surgical resection. 

These results support LITT as an effective minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery for newly diagnosed and recurrent IDH⁺ glioblastoma with short recovery time and reduced potential for side effects.
 
“For patients with glioblastoma, treatment options are limited, especially for those with recurrent disease,” said John de Groot, MD, division chief of neuro-oncology, University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences. “These data clearly demonstrate that LITT remains a critical tool for achieving maximal, safe cytoreduction of the tumor and is especially effective when followed by chemotherapy and radiation. The minimally invasive nature of LITT, short recovery, and favorable side effect profile make LITT a safe and effective option.”

LAANTERN is a postmarketing study designed to evaluate the performance and utilization of the system in the standard of care, “real-world” setting. The registry will follow up with 3,000 patients for 5 years to evaluate safety, quality of life, health economics, and procedural outcomes, including survival and seizure freedom.

These study results are published in Neuro-Oncology Advances.