This common vitamin could help fight one of the deadliest brain cancers
University of Calgary researchers are conducting a clinical trial to see if high doses of vitamin B3 (niacin) can improve outcomes for patients with glioblastoma. The study aims to determine if niacin can help counteract the tumor's ability to suppress the patient's immune system.
Why it matters
Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancer; finding an accessible, non-toxic adjuvant therapy could significantly improve patient prognosis.
Edward (Ed) Waldner knew something was wrong, even though he could not explain exactly what was happening. At age 55, he was constantly exhausted, regardless of how demanding his day had been. At first, he wondered whether sleep apnea might be responsible.
Then he began noticing changes in the way he walked. His heels would sometimes drag, and his movement no longer felt normal. When his symptoms became especially concerning one day, he went to the Emergency Department.
"The doctor said I had a mass on my brain and needed to see an oncologist," says Waldner.
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