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The blood-brain barrier is a natural defense system that prevents harmful substances in the blood from entering the brain. Doctors may have found a way to get past the barrier to treat cancer patients. Neurosurgeons have been using lasers to treat brain cancer since 2009, but now they say the technique may also allow them to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly into the brain. The key is getting past the protective blood-brain barrier, which does its job so well it also keeps out potentially lifesaving chemotherapy drugs. Kathy Smith has ovarian cancer that spread to her brain, a type of brain cancer called glioblastoma. “There were I believe three tumors at that time and I was not at all happy about those critters,” she said. Smith was treated with laser therapy. Doctors insert a tiny probe into the brain, directly to the cancer where it burns up the tumor from the inside out. According to Washington University Neurosurgery Professor Eric Leuthardt, during the procedure it was discovered the therapy had an unintended effect on the blood-brain barrier. “We were able to show that this blood-brain barrier is broken down for about four weeks after you do this laser therapy," he said. "So not only are you killing the tumor, you are actually opening up a window of opportunity to deliver various drugs and chemicals and therapies that could otherwise not get in there.” | 
