Immunotherapy for Glioblastoma: Current Progress and Challenges. 2021

Miranda W Yu, and Daniela F Quail
Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Glioblastoma is a highly lethal brain cancer with a median survival rate of less than 15 months when treated with the current standard of care, which consists of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. With the recent success of immunotherapy in other aggressive cancers such as advanced melanoma and advanced non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma has been brought to the forefront of immunotherapy research. Resistance to therapy has been a major challenge across a multitude of experimental candidates and no immunotherapies have been approved for glioblastoma to-date. Intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity, an inherently immunosuppressive environment and tumor plasticity remain barriers to be overcome. Moreover, the unique tissue-specific interactions between the central nervous system and the peripheral immune system present an additional challenge for immune-based therapies. Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence that these challenges may be overcome, and immunotherapy continues to be actively pursued in glioblastoma. Herein, we review the primary ongoing immunotherapy candidates for glioblastoma with a focus on immune checkpoint inhibitors, myeloid-targeted therapies, vaccines and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) immunotherapies. We further provide insight on mechanisms of resistance and how our understanding of these mechanisms may pave the way for more effective immunotherapeutics against glioblastoma.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D001932 Brain Neoplasms Neoplasms of the intracranial components of the central nervous system, including the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, thalamus, brain stem, and cerebellum. Brain neoplasms are subdivided into primary (originating from brain tissue) and secondary (i.e., metastatic) forms. Primary neoplasms are subdivided into benign and malignant forms. In general, brain tumors may also be classified by age of onset, histologic type, or presenting location in the brain. Brain Cancer,Brain Metastases,Brain Tumors,Cancer of Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Tumors,Neoplasms, Intracranial,Benign Neoplasms, Brain,Brain Neoplasm, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Benign,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Malignant, Primary,Brain Neoplasms, Primary Malignant,Brain Tumor, Primary,Brain Tumor, Recurrent,Cancer of the Brain,Intracranial Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasms, Brain,Malignant Primary Brain Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Brain,Neoplasms, Brain, Benign,Neoplasms, Brain, Malignant,Neoplasms, Brain, Primary,Primary Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Primary Malignant Brain Tumors,Benign Brain Neoplasm,Benign Brain Neoplasms,Benign Neoplasm, Brain,Brain Benign Neoplasm,Brain Benign Neoplasms,Brain Cancers,Brain Malignant Neoplasm,Brain Malignant Neoplasms,Brain Metastase,Brain Neoplasm,Brain Neoplasm, Benign,Brain Neoplasm, Malignant,Brain Neoplasms, Primary,Brain Tumor,Brain Tumors, Recurrent,Cancer, Brain,Intracranial Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasm,Malignant Brain Neoplasms,Malignant Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Brain,Neoplasm, Intracranial,Primary Brain Neoplasm,Primary Brain Tumor,Primary Brain Tumors,Recurrent Brain Tumor,Recurrent Brain Tumors,Tumor, Brain
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D005909 Glioblastoma A malignant form of astrocytoma histologically characterized by pleomorphism of cells, nuclear atypia, microhemorrhage, and necrosis. They may arise in any region of the central nervous system, with a predilection for the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, and commissural pathways. Clinical presentation most frequently occurs in the fifth or sixth decade of life with focal neurologic signs or seizures. Astrocytoma, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastoma,Glioblastoma Multiforme,Astrocytomas, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastomas,Glioblastoma, Giant Cell,Glioblastomas,Glioblastomas, Giant Cell,Grade IV Astrocytoma,Grade IV Astrocytomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000082082 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Drugs that block negative regulator IMMUNE CHECKPOINT proteins (e.g., PD-1 RECEPTOR and CTLA-4 ANTIGEN) thereby increasing suppressed immune activation in immunotherapies. CTLA-4 Inhibitor,CTLA-4 Inhibitors,Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 Inhibitor,Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Protein 4 Inhibitors,Immune Checkpoint Blockade,Immune Checkpoint Blockers,Immune Checkpoint Inhibition,Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor,PD-1 Inhibitor,PD-1 Inhibitors,PD-1-PD-L1 Blockade,PD-L1 Inhibitor,PD-L1 Inhibitors,Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Inhibitor,Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 Inhibitors,Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Inhibitors,Blockade, PD-1-PD-L1,CTLA 4 Inhibitor,CTLA 4 Inhibitors,Checkpoint Blockade, Immune,Checkpoint Blockers, Immune,Checkpoint Inhibition, Immune,Checkpoint Inhibitor, Immune,Checkpoint Inhibitors, Immune,Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Associated Protein 4 Inhibitor,Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Associated Protein 4 Inhibitors,Inhibitor, PD-1,PD 1 Inhibitor,PD 1 Inhibitors,PD 1 PD L1 Blockade,PD L1 Inhibitor,PD L1 Inhibitors,Programmed Death Ligand 1 Inhibitors
D000084582 Tumor-Associated Macrophages Various macrophages found in TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT. They may interact with tumor cells to influence growth and NEOPLASTIC PROCESSES. Tumor-Associated Macrophage,Macrophage, Tumor-Associated,Tumor Associated Macrophage,Tumor Associated Macrophages
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014611 Vaccination Administration of vaccines to stimulate the host's immune response. This includes any preparation intended for active immunological prophylaxis. Immunization, Active,Active Immunization,Active Immunizations,Immunizations, Active,Vaccinations
D016219 Immunotherapy, Adoptive Form of adoptive transfer where cells with antitumor activity are transferred to the tumor-bearing host in order to mediate tumor regression. The lymphoid cells commonly used are lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). This is usually considered a form of passive immunotherapy. (From DeVita, et al., Cancer, 1993, pp.305-7, 314) Adoptive Cellular Immunotherapy,Adoptive Immunotherapy,CAR T-Cell Therapy,Cellular Immunotherapy, Adoptive,Chimeric Antigen Receptor Therapy,Immunotherapy, Adoptive Cellular,Adoptive Cellular Immunotherapies,Adoptive Immunotherapies,CAR T Cell Therapy,CAR T-Cell Therapies,Cellular Immunotherapies, Adoptive,Immunotherapies, Adoptive,Immunotherapies, Adoptive Cellular,T-Cell Therapies, CAR,T-Cell Therapy, CAR,Therapies, CAR T-Cell,Therapy, CAR T-Cell
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes

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