Medical Breakthrough: Innovative Treatment for Aggressive Brain Tumor in Israel

New hope for patients dealing with a recurrent aggressive brain tumor after standard treatments: Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem has begun, for the first time in Israel, treating recurrent glioblastoma using alpha radiation delivered directly into the tumor. The experimental treatment was performed on a 77-year-old man as part of a first-of-its-kind clinical study in the country.

The patient was diagnosed with a recurrence of glioblastoma after having already undergone surgery, radiation, and drug therapy. As part of the procedure, tiny radiation sources were inserted into the tumor using Alpha DaRT technology. According to Hadassah, during the procedure, radiation sources were inserted from two different paths simultaneously for the first time in the world, with the goal of achieving optimal coverage of the tumor volume and maintaining maximum precision.

Radiation focused on the tumor area

Alpha DaRT technology is based on the insertion of tiny sources that emit alpha particles with high biological effectiveness. Alpha particles act in a very short range, so the radiation is intended to concentrate mainly in the tumor area and minimize damage to adjacent healthy brain tissue. The procedure was performed using a neurosurgical navigation system, which allows reaching the tumor with millimeter precision.

The surgery was led by Prof. Yigal Shoshan, Director of the Department of Neurosurgical Oncology and Stereotactic Radiosurgery at Hadassah, together with a multidisciplinary team. "One of the great advantages of the technology is that it integrates naturally with the neurosurgical navigation systems that we use daily," explains Prof. Shoshan. "The same system that allows us to perform brain biopsies with millimeter precision also allows us to insert the alpha sources with similar precision into the center of the tumor. This allowed us to perform a local and minimally invasive treatment without the need for extensive brain surgery."

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From laboratory research to clinical practice

The neurosurgical application of the technology was developed in collaboration between the Department of Neurosurgery, the Sharett Institute of Oncology at Hadassah, and the company Alpha Tau. The path to the first treatment included years of laboratory research, preclinical trials, and practice on models. "Seeing the technology reach a patient in Israel for the first time today is an emotional moment for everyone who was a partner in this journey," notes Prof. Shoshan.

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults, and despite standard treatment, the disease almost always returns. Prof. Aharon Popovtzer, Director of the Sharett Institute of Oncology, notes: "For patients with recurrent disease, there are currently very limited treatment options. Therefore, any innovative technology that can be tested within a controlled clinical study is of great importance."

Future outlook and safety

Parallel to the study at Hadassah, the REGAIN study is being conducted in the United States. While interim results from the first patients showed full local control of the disease, researchers remain cautious as the sample size is still small. Future plans include testing the treatment for brain metastases as well.

Alpha Tau CEO Uzi Sofer called the event a significant milestone: "For us, this is not only a scientific or business success – it is also a Zionist mission. It is important to us that the innovation born here will also be available to patients in Israel." At this stage, the study is in Phase I, with the primary goal of testing the feasibility and safety of the method before moving on to broader efficacy trials.