Glioblastoma Multiforme: An Overview of Emerging Therapeutic Targets

Olivia G Taylor; Joshua S Brzozowski; Kathryn A Skelding

doi:10.3389/fonc.2019.00963

Glioblastoma Multiforme: An Overview of Emerging Therapeutic Targets

Front Oncol. 2019 Sep 26:9:963. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00963. eCollection 2019.

Authors

Olivia G Taylor^{1

2}, Joshua S Brzozowski^{1

2}, Kathryn A Skelding^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre for Cancer Research, Innovation and Translation, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
² Hunter Cancer Research Alliance and Cancer Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumour in humans and has a very poor prognosis. The existing treatments have had limited success in increasing overall survival. Thus, identifying and understanding the key molecule(s) responsible for the malignant phenotype of GBM will yield new potential therapeutic targets. The treatment of brain tumours faces unique challenges, including the presence of the blood brain barrier (BBB), which limits the concentration of drugs that can reach the site of the tumour. Nevertheless, several promising treatments have been shown to cross the BBB and have shown promising pre-clinical results. This review will outline the status of several of these promising targeted therapies.

Keywords: anti-cancer drugs; brain cancer; glioblastoma; immunotherapy; targeted therapeutics.

Publication types

Review