Patient with glioblastoma survives four years after experimental ultrasound trial
Becca Valle, diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2021, remains disease-free four years later after taking part in a focused-ultrasound clinical study.
In September 2021, Becca Valle experienced debilitating headaches that resulted in the discovery of a glioblastoma, which was surgically removed and followed by chemotherapy and radiation. She later joined a clinical trial investigating focused ultrasound to briefly disrupt the blood-brain barrier, a technique championed by Graeme Woodworth, chief of neurosurgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The trial involved multiple ultrasound sessions over six months and frequent MRI scans to track tumor status.
Early data indicated that up to 40% of participants survived longer than expected, suggesting a potential survival benefit. Neuro-oncologist Patrick Wen described the findings as an encouraging signal for future research. Four years after her diagnosis, Valle shows no evidence of disease, undergoes biannual MRIs, and plans to travel abroad.