Monteris Medical study shows critical survival factors for brain tumor patients

Data from Monteris Medical’s new post-market study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology demonstrates that extent of ablation is a critical determinant of survival, particularly in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and recurrent metastatic tumors.

Patients who achieved equal to or greater than 91% tumor ablation experienced significantly longer progression-free and overall survival, the study showed.

“These data show that timing matters,” Dr. Eric Leuthardt, the study’s lead author, said.

The study analyzed outcomes in 787 patients with tumors treated with its NeuroBlate System. NeuroBlate’s minimally invasive MR-guided ablation technology enables robotic, cooled laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) to provide precise, maximal brain lesion ablation.

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The post-market study, named LAANTERN, is designed to evaluate the performance and utilization of NeuroBlate to generate real-world evidence and guide standard of care practice, the company said. It’s the first prospective multicenter laser ablation study, and includes over 1,000 enrolled patients who will be followed for up to five years.

NeuroBlate’s cooled laser probes allow for larger ablation volumes. The system’s SideFire directional probe was specifically designed to treat irregularly shaped lesions and optimizes the likelihood of achieving high extent of ablation in real-world clinical practice, Monteris Medical said.

Patients undergoing NeuroBlate LITT in the study experienced short hospital stays and quicker postoperative recovery, with a vast majority avoiding intensive care (63%), the study showed.

Patients also experienced reductions in seizure burden; 30-40% of patients stopped taking anticonvulsants, 80% of patients stopped steroids after undergoing the procedure, and quality of life remained stable for up to three years post-LITT.

“LAANTERN advances how LITT is understood and applied in neuro-oncology,” Leuthardt said. “I was an early investigator of this technology, and long-term outcomes from this large cohort will help us identify the patients who are most likely to benefit from this therapeutic option.”

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The study also demonstrated that earlier intervention in metastatic brain tumors, while lesions are smaller, confers a survival advantage. Monteris Medical said these findings could impact how patients and providers make treatment decisions.

“Treating metastatic lesions earlier, before volume becomes prohibitive, improves patient outcomes and strengthens the role of LITT as a proactive cytoreductive option rather than a treatment of last resort.”