• Two images, one an axial MRI slice with colourful DTI imaging superimposed, showing an example tumour in red, and other nerve tracts in blue, yellow, green and purple. The second image is a conronal MRI slice with superimposed colourful DTI, showing nerve tracts which has also had navigated ultrasound fused, showing how the brain appears through ultrasound imaging, including the DTI colours
    DTI image with tumour (red) and DTI image fused with ultrasound scan

Functional and Ultrasound Guided Resection of Glioblastoma -  FUTURE-GB

Stage 2 is OPEN to recruitment!

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common primary brain tumour and is incurable. It grows very quickly from the brain tissue itself, rather than from a cancer elsewhere in the body. It is expected that the number of people with a brain tumour will rise by 6% in the UK between 2014 and 2035. However, prognosis (outcome) remains extremely poor, with most people surviving just over 12 months, and as a patient’s tumour grows patients experience a reduction (decline) in their quality of life.  Therefore, we need to ensure quality of life, which remains difficult. The main treatments for GB are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, given in combination.

For patients where it is thought that surgery will benefit, a surgeon often removes as much tumour as possible, whilst limiting the risk of causing damage, such as weakness, speech, or cognitive difficulties. However, which technology a surgeon should use during surgery to remove the tumour safely is unclear. This can affect how soon the cancer returns, what effects of surgery or symptoms a patient develops, and how a patient feels.

High frequency sound waves that create an image, called Ultrasound (US), is one of the tools a surgeon can use during the operation to find the tumour and see how much is removed. Another technology, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), allows important nerve pathways involved in certain functions, for example, speech/language, vision and movement, to be avoided in surgery.

This trial aims to see if GB surgery with these extra technologies (tools) added to the standard ones, increases a patient’s good functioning quality of life, so-called Deterioration Free Survival (DFS).

Recruitment Updates

FUTURE-GB Stage 2 is recruiting!

We are actively recruiting to our RCT (Stage 2) in:

  • Oxford,
  • Liverpool,
  • Bristol,
  • King's College, London,
  • Imperial College London,
  • Cardiff,
  • Nottingham,
  • Southampton,
  • Leeds,
  • Royal London Hospital,
  • Royal Stoke University Hospital,
  • Middlesbrough,
  • Plymouth,
  • Dundee,
  • Hull,
  • Cambridge

Our Stage 1 sites will be joining shortly!

See below for the latest participant recruitment date and site.

Recruitment Progress:
357
216
357
216
Latest participant recruited from: John Radcliffe Hospital - Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Date of most recent recruitment: Thursday, 28th September 2023