Novel Insights into Genetic Approaches in Glioblastoma Multiforme Therapy

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most common and malignant types of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Despite the great advances in treatment modalities and the variety of therapeutic options, it remains largely incurable with continuously growth incidence, due to the genomic instability of glioblastoma multiforme cells, their heterogeneity, and their resistance to chemo- and radiotherapies. The aggressive behavior of these brain tumors and their sequestered location behind the blood-brain barrier restricts the role of the immune system. Great success has been made recently in glioblastoma multiforme treatment using genetic based approaches to selectively target cancerous cells and restore tumor suppressor gene expression or silence specific oncogenes to prevent their expression. The use of genetic approaches has attracted more interest and research and has revealed their ability to regulate the expression of glioblastoma multiforme oncogenes without changing the genotype and thus avoiding possible genotoxicity. This review delivers an overview of glioblastoma multiforme cell biology, tumorigenesis, and immune surveillance, and discusses recent advances in genetic based therapies of glioblastoma multiforme.