Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.0
4.5
Journals
Cancers
Special Issues
Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma
share announcement

Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 8560

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Monika Szeliga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: cancer; cell cycle; anticancer therapy; proliferation; migration; cell metabolism
Dr. Marta Obara-Michlewska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurotoxicology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: neurotoxicity; astrocyte metabolism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gliomas are the most frequent primary brain tumors that arise from glial or precursor cells, and include astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, ependymoma, and mixed glioma. Despite progress in providing key insights into glioma pathogenesis and advances in treatment modalities, glioma remains a uniformly fatal disease. Heterogeneity, glioma stem cells (GSCs), tumor immune microenvironment, delivery of active compounds through the blood–brain barrier, and drug resistance are the leading causes of therapy failure. The awaited breakthrough in glioma treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach, involving further progress in neuroscience research, as well as shifting towards precision medicine, adjusting the clinical protocols according to the neoplasm’s individual genetic background as well as the clinical status of the patient.

This Special Issue intends to collect original research papers and review articles to present contemporary challenges in the diagnosis and management of gliomas, as well as new potential approaches for treating these neoplasms.

Dr. Monika Szeliga
Dr. Marta Obara-Michlewska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • glioma
  • ependymoma
  • oligodendroglioma
  • astrocytoma
  • glioblastoma
  • glioma treatment
  • drug resistance
  • immunotherapy
  • glioma stem cells

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

22 pages, 4309 KiB  
Article
Immunophenotypic Profile of Adult Glioblastoma IDH-Wildtype Microenvironment: A Cohort Study
by Sofia Asioli, Lidia Gatto, Uri Vardy, Claudio Agostinelli, Vincenzo Di Nunno, Simona Righi, Alicia Tosoni, Francesca Ambrosi, Stefania Bartolini, Caterina Giannini and Enrico Franceschi
Cancers 2024, 16(22), 3859; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16223859 - 18 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Background: Glioblastoma IDH-wildtype (GBM IDH-wt) is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults and is characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Different factors shaping its tumor microenvironment (TME) regulate tumor progression and treatment response. The aim of this study was to [...] Read more.
Background: Glioblastoma IDH-wildtype (GBM IDH-wt) is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults and is characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Different factors shaping its tumor microenvironment (TME) regulate tumor progression and treatment response. The aim of this study was to characterize the main immunosuppressive elements of the GBM IDH-wt TME. Methods: Immunohistochemistry for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD163, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed death 1 (PD1) was performed on surgical tumor specimens from patients diagnosed with GBM IDH-wt, according to the CNS WHO 2021 criteria. The impact of categorical variables on time-dependent outcomes such as overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) has been estimated through the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: We included 30 patients (19 males and 11 females), median age of 59.8 years (range 40.2–69.1 years). All patients underwent surgery followed by temozolomide concurrent with and adjuvant to radiotherapy. MGMT was methylated in 14 patients (47%) and unmethylated in 16 patients (53%). The overall absolute percentages of CD4+ lymphocytes, both intratumoral and perivascular, were significantly more represented than CD8+ lymphocytes in the TME (p = 0.02). A low density of CD4+ lymphocytes (≤10%) was found to be a favorable prognostic factor for GBM outcome (p = 0.02). Patients with MGMT methylated and unmethylated tumors exhibited a distinct TME composition, with a significant higher number of perivascular CD8+ lymphocytes (p = 0.002), intratumoral CD8+ lymphocytes (p = 0.0024) and perivascular CD4+ lymphocytes (p = 0.014) in MGMT unmethylated tumors. PD-L1 expression in tumor cell surface was observed in four tumors (13.3%), and PD1 expression in infiltrating T lymphocytes was observed in nine (30%) tumors, with predominantly perivascular distribution. Conclusions: MGMT methylated and unmethylated tumors exhibit different immune profiles, likely reflecting the different biology of these tumors. The expression of PD-L1 in GBM IDH-wt patients is confined to a small subpopulation. While we found a significant association between low CD4+ lymphocyte density (≤10%) and survival, given the small numbers of our cohort, the prognostic value of CD4+ lymphocyte density will need to be validated in large-scale studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1344 KiB  
Article
Postoperative Communicating Hydrocephalus Following Grade 2/3 Glioma Resection: Incidence, Timing and Risk Factors
by Lisa S. Hönikl, Nicole Lange, Bernhard Meyer, Jens Gempt and Hanno S. Meyer
Cancers 2023, 15(14), 3548; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15143548 - 9 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1880
Abstract
Background: In diffusely infiltrating gliomas, the maximum extent of tumor resection is an important predictor of overall survival, irrespective of histological or molecular subtype or tumor grade. For glioblastoma WHO grade 4 (GBM), it has been shown that resection-related events, such as ventricular [...] Read more.
Background: In diffusely infiltrating gliomas, the maximum extent of tumor resection is an important predictor of overall survival, irrespective of histological or molecular subtype or tumor grade. For glioblastoma WHO grade 4 (GBM), it has been shown that resection-related events, such as ventricular opening and ventriculitis, increase the risk for development of communicating hydrocephalus (CH) requiring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion surgery. Risk factors for the development and the incidence of hydrocephalus following resection of other types of infiltrating gliomas are less well established. In this study, we evaluated the incidence and timing of occurrence of different types of hydrocephalus and potential risk factors for the development of CH following resection of grade 2 and 3 gliomas. Methods: 346 patients who underwent tumor resection (WHO grade 2: 42.2%; 3: 57.8%) at our department between 2006 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. For each patient, age, sex, WHO grade, histological type, IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion status, tumor localization, number of resections, rebleeding, ventriculitis, ventricular opening during resection and postoperative CSF leak were determined. Uni- as well as multivariate analyses were performed to identify associations with CH and independent risk factors. Results: 24 out of 346 (6.9%) patients needed CSF diversion surgery (implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal or ventriculoatrial shunt) following resection. Nineteen patients (5.5%) had CH, on median, 44 days after the last resection (interquartile range: 18–89 days). Two patients had obstructive hydrocephalus (OH), and three patients had other CSF circulation disorders. CH was more frequent in grade 3 compared to grade 2 gliomas (8.5 vs. 1.4%). WHO grade 3 (odds ratio (OR) 7.5, p = 0.00468), rebleeding (OR 5.0, p = 0.00984), ventriculitis (OR 4.1, p = 0.00463) and infratentorial tumor localization (OR 6.6, p = 0.00300) were identified as significant independent risk factors for the development of post-resection CH. Ventricular opening was significantly associated with CH, but it was not an independent risk factor. Conclusion: Physicians treating brain tumor patients should be aware that postoperative CH requiring CSF shunting occurs not only in GBM but also after resection of lower-grade gliomas, especially in grade 3 tumors. It usually occurs several weeks after resection. Rebleeding and postoperative ventriculitis are independent risk factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

31 pages, 343 KiB  
Review
Opportunities and Challenges of Small Molecule Inhibitors in Glioblastoma Treatment: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials
by Linde Hoosemans, Marc Vooijs and Ann Hoeben
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 3021; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16173021 - 29 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1384
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent central nervous system tumour (CNS). Patients with GBM have a dismal prognosis of 15 months, despite an intensive treatment schedule consisting of surgery, chemoradiation and concurrent chemotherapy. In the last decades, many trials have been performed investigating [...] Read more.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent central nervous system tumour (CNS). Patients with GBM have a dismal prognosis of 15 months, despite an intensive treatment schedule consisting of surgery, chemoradiation and concurrent chemotherapy. In the last decades, many trials have been performed investigating small molecule inhibitors, which target specific genes involved in tumorigenesis. So far, these trials have been unsuccessful, and standard of care for GBM patients has remained the same since 2005. This review gives an overview of trials investigating small molecule inhibitors on their own, combined with chemotherapy or other small molecule inhibitors. We discuss possible resistance mechanisms in GBM, focussing on intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity, bypass mechanisms and the influence of the tumour microenvironment. Moreover, we emphasise how combining inhibitors can help overcome these resistance mechanisms. We also address strategies for improving trial outcomes through modifications to their design. In summary, this review aims to elucidate different resistance mechanisms against small molecule inhibitors, highlighting their significance in the search for novel therapeutic combinations to improve the overall survival of GBM patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma)
24 pages, 1710 KiB  
Review
Recent Treatment Strategies and Molecular Pathways in Resistance Mechanisms of Antiangiogenic Therapies in Glioblastoma
by Md Ataur Rahman and Meser M. Ali
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 2975; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16172975 - 27 Aug 2024
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3269
Abstract
Malignant gliomas present great difficulties in treatment, with little change over the past 30 years in the median survival time of 15 months. Current treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy. New therapies aimed at suppressing the formation of new vasculature (antiangiogenic [...] Read more.
Malignant gliomas present great difficulties in treatment, with little change over the past 30 years in the median survival time of 15 months. Current treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy (RT), and chemotherapy. New therapies aimed at suppressing the formation of new vasculature (antiangiogenic treatments) or destroying formed tumor vasculature (vascular disrupting agents) show promise. This study summarizes the existing knowledge regarding the processes by which glioblastoma (GBM) tumors acquire resistance to antiangiogenic treatments. The discussion encompasses the activation of redundant proangiogenic pathways, heightened tumor cell invasion and metastasis, resistance induced by hypoxia, creation of vascular mimicry channels, and regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Subsequently, we explore potential strategies to overcome this resistance, such as combining antiangiogenic therapies with other treatment methods, personalizing treatments for each patient, focusing on new therapeutic targets, incorporating immunotherapy, and utilizing drug delivery systems based on nanoparticles. Additionally, we would like to discuss the limitations of existing methods and potential future directions to enhance the beneficial effects of antiangiogenic treatments for patients with GBM. Therefore, this review aims to enhance the research outcome for GBM and provide a more promising opportunity by thoroughly exploring the mechanisms of resistance and investigating novel therapeutic strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges and Opportunities in Treating Glioma)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop