Glioblastoma and Herbal Medicine

Dr. Darvish’s research article on glioblastoma and herbal medicine was recently published in Townsend Letter – a journal for both doctors and patients.

Introduction
Glioblastoma is a highly invasive brain tumor often arising from astrocytes, representing 15% of all brain tumors, and occurring more commonly in men than women, with median age of 55 years at time of diagnosis. Due to aggressiveness of glioblastoma, the median survival time of patients is less than 1 year even with treatment. These tumors grow quickly mainly because of their ability to form extensive blood supplies, a process known as angiogenesis. Conventional therapies, including debulking surgery, chemotherapy, Avastin to stunt angiogenesis temporarily, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy cause many devastating side effects, yet provide minimal change in survival rates. The addition of alternative therapeutics, such as the use of herbal extracts, and nutrition and diet therapy, plays an important role in reducing side effects from conventional therapies while optimizing their benefits, as well as improving quality of life and increasing survival time in patients fighting this devastating disease by optimizing immune function, reducing inflammation, and promoting healing and repair.

Read the article at the Townsend Letter