New Hope in the Fight Against Brain Tumors

Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center is among the highest enrolling sites in the SURVIVE Phase 2B clinical trial of a groundbreaking new brain tumor vaccine. SurVaxM, a first-of-its-kind vaccine targets survivin, the protein that keeps cancer cells alive in brain tumors.

Neuro-oncology experts at Overlook are hoping that the vaccine will offer a better shot at long-term survival from the disease and improved function for patients with glioblastoma, a debilitating condition with an average survivability of about 16 months.

“I think it represents the possibility of a true advance for this uniformly fatal disorder,” says neuro-oncologist Robert Aiken, MD, the lead researcher for the trial at Overlook, and co-director of Overlook’s Gerald J. Glasser Brain Tumor Center. “The prospect of surviving for more years, while maintaining function would be an incredible gift for patients.”

The vaccine is given to patients once they complete the typical postsurgical treatment of radiation and chemotherapy, which usually lasts about 6-8 weeks after surgery to remove the tumor. The vaccine is given every two weeks over a six-week period and then every two months over a 24-month period, from the first injection.

The Gerald J. Glasser Brain Tumor Center is located in the heart of Atlantic Neuroscience Institute at Overlook, which has been nationally recognized for neuroscience care. Overlook’s capabilities in treating brain tumors, including an integrated care team, cutting-edge surgical procedures, supportive care and comprehensive symptom management, makes it uniquely suited for the trial among hospitals in the region.

To learn more about this important advancement, email neuroscienceresearch@atlantichealth.org, or call Danielle Mouta at 908-522-5768.