Navigating the Immune Challenge in Glioblastoma: Exploring Immunotherapeutic Avenues for Overcoming Immune Suppression

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a primary brain tumor known for its short survival time, typically 14-18 months from diagnosis to fatality. Managing GBM poses significant challenges due to factors like the formidable blood-brain barrier, the immunosuppressive conditions within GBM, and the intricacies of surgical procedures. Currently, the typical treatment for GBM combines surgical procedures, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy using temozolomide. Unfortunately, this conventional approach has not proven effective in substantially extending the lives of GBM patients. Consequently, researchers are exploring alternative methods for GBM management. One promising avenue receiving attention in recent years is immunotherapy. This approach has successfully treated cancer types like non-small cell lung cancer and blood-related malignancies. Various immunotherapeutic strategies are currently under investigation for GBM treatment, including checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, and oncolytic viruses. A comprehensive review of 26 high-quality studies conducted over the past decade, involving thorough searches of databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar, has been conducted. The findings from this review suggest that while immunotherapeutic strategies show promise, they face significant limitations and challenges in practical application for GBM treatment. The study emphasizes the importance of combining diverse approaches, customizing treatments for individual patients, and ongoing research efforts to improve GBM patients' outlook.