A novel drug, which can shrink brain tumour by up to fifty percent in children suffering a rare condition, has been launched recently in UK. The drug called Votubia (everolimus) is for children suffering from growing non-malignant brain tumours associated with the condition known as tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC).

The once-a-day pill has been approved orphan drug status for the rare condition, which has been shown to shrivel SEGA (subependymal giant cell astrocytoma) tumours linked to TSC. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder that escorts to formation of non-malignant tumours in organs, most frequently in the brain and kidneys.

Votubia offers an alternative to surgery and could prove as lifeline for youngsters suffering from tumours. Brain tumours happen in up to twenty percent of patients suffering TSC, which causes physical and mental disability. According research head Chris Kingswood from the Tuberous Sclerosis Association, since long there has been a desperate requirement for a constructive substitute licensed treatment to invasive brain surgery.

Everolimus is the first licensed product, which can be offered patients to attack the cause of their devastating condition. It functions by blocking a protein that acts as a significant controller of tumour cell growth. The way it functions is the signalling pathway which can be simply likened to blocking a receiver.

Therefore, it cannot process signals from the aerial on an analogue radio, so that the signals can no longer broadcast to coerce in this case tumour cell growth, added Kingswood. SEGA is a grave complication in TSC, comprising much of the increased mortality seen in this condition, explained Dr Finbar O’Callaghan, consultant in paediatric neurology from the University of Bristol.

Thus far, brain surgery has been the only alternative for treatment and the availability of a pharmacological therapy is a major milestone and provides a treatment alternative in those cases where surgery is difficult or not possible, concluded DR O’Callaghan.

Video on Children’s Brain Tumours Awareness

source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health