Intraoperative Raman spectroscopy uses near-infrared laser light to gain molecular information without causing damage. It can be used in vivo or ex vivo without exogenous contrast agents. Clinically, the technique was primarily used with machine learning for in situ tumor detection with fiberoptics probes analyzing tissue at sub-millimeter scales one point at the time. Here we report the development of a whole-specimen spectroscopic imaging system designed to detect cancer cells at the margins of surgical specimens.

UCLA scientists have identified a potential new strategy for treating glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, by reprogramming aggressive cancer cells into harmless ones.

Craniopharyngioma is an uncommon, slow-growing brain tumor that can occur in children or adults. Though there are two types of craniopharyngioma; children with craniopharyngioma almost always have the adamantinomatous (ACP) subtype. These tumors usually have some areas that are solid and some areas that are cystic (made up of pockets of trapped fluid).

Drug screening based on genetic changes in disease revealed that (S)-amlodipine besylate could shrink tumors in the mouse models and in a patient-derived xenograft mouse model. The therapeutic effects were associated with dampened calcium transients implicated in neuron-tumor cell interactions and with neuroendocrine neuronal activity. Together, the results illuminate tumor biology and suggest new avenues for therapy development.

New research shows that GD2 CAR-T cell therapy offers a potential cure for neuroblastoma, with some patients achieving long-term remission for over a decade—marking a major milestone in solid tumor treatment.

El tratamiento estándar varía en función del paciente, pero en los gliomas de alto grado suele incluir cirugía, radioterapia y quimioterapia. Según el doctor Juan Manuel Sepúlveda, neuroncólogo del Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, “en los niños existen más tipos diferentes de gliomas y en adultos, sin embargo, predomina el glioblastoma. En niños es más probable encontrar mutaciones que permiten tratamientos dirigidos, mientras que en adultos el tratamiento, casi siempre, es radioterapia y quimioterapia. Por desgracia, el pronóstico en adultos y en niños es similar, con una mortalidad elevada”.

Our multiparametric MRI-based prediction model has the capability to identify an inherently prognostic tumor characteristic by accurately distinguishing TP from PsP. This distinction significantly impacts patient management and clinical outcomes for months and even years post-diagnosis by enabling early and appropriate therapeutic interventions. However, our findings require further validation in future studies including larger patient populations.

At the forefront of these advancements is the vaccine-induced T cell receptor (TCR) therapy targeting the PTPRZ1 antigen, which is significantly implicated in glioblastoma cell stemness. This promising new treatment stems from the extraordinary adaptability of TCRs, engineered to recognize specific antigens found on the surface of cancer cells. PTPRZ1, or protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Z1, has surfaced as a tempting target due to its overexpression within glioblastoma tumors and its association with cancer cell stemness.

Five-year overall survival in patients with glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype is extremely low. Predictors of a longer survival are mostly treatment factors, emphasizing the importance of a complete oncological treatment plan, when achievable. Glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype 5-year survivors could be screened for actionable targets in case of recurrence.

Despite the emergence of new therapies, monotherapy approaches have not shown significant improvements, highlighting the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. Combination therapies appear to be the most promising solution, as they target multiple molecular pathways involved in GBM progression. One area of growing interest is the incorporation of phytotherapy and micotherapy as complementary treatments, which offer potential benefits due to their anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.

"Glioblastoma takes its cues from hormones released by the same central clock in the host that establishes the body's regular daily rhythms," said Erik D. Herzog, PhD, the Viktor Hamburger Distinguished Professor and a professor of biology in Arts & Sciences, senior author of the study.

The team designed a unique trispecific antibody encoded in a DNA-encoded delivery mechanism. Their DNA-encoded trispecifics, named "DTriTEs," linked cancer-killing T cells through the CD3 protein with two different glioblastoma antigens: the IL-13Rα2 protein and the EGFRvIII protein. This allows the immune system's T cells to be alerted and activated when they encounter diverse glioblastoma tumors expressing either or both of these antigens.

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and challenging forms of cancer, but with the right care, successful treatment is possible. The best hospitals for glioblastoma specialize in advanced neurosurgery, cutting-edge radiotherapy, and innovative therapies like electric field treatment and immunotherapy, offering the best chances for recovery.

Craniopharyngiomas (CP) are rare noncancerous brain tumors located in the skull base. To date, CP remain challenging-to-resect tumors, owing to their difficult location and invasive potential, with profound adverse effects for the patient if left to grow. Indeed, gross total resection may als be accompanied by unwelcome sequalae, underscoring the need for continued investigation. In the present work, we provide a scoping review of current CP management, with emphasis on our knowledge of their genesis, available treatment options, post-intervention clinical outcomes.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common adult primary brain tumor. The standard of care involves maximal surgery followed by radiotherapy and concomitant chemotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ), in addition to adjuvant TMZ. However, the recurrence rate of GBM within 1–2 years post-diagnosis is still elevated and has been attributed to the accumulation of multiple factors including the heterogeneity of GBM, genomic instability, angiogenesis, and chronic tumor hypoxia. Tumor hypoxia activates downstream signaling pathways involved in the adaptation of GBM to the newly oxygen-deprived environment, thereby contributing to the resistance and recurrence phenomena, despite the multimodal therapeutic approach used to eradicate the tumor.

A significant challenge for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy against glioblastoma (GBM) is its immunosuppressive microenvironment, which is densely populated by protumoral glioma-associated microglia and macrophages (GAMs),” the researchers found. “Myeloid immune checkpoint therapy targeting the CD47-signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPα) axis induces GAM phagocytic function, but CD47 blockade monotherapy is associated with toxicity and low bioavailability in solid tumors. In this work, we engineer a CAR T cell against epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII), constitutively secreting a signal regulatory protein gamma-related protein (SGRP) with high affinity to CD47.

In a recent study published in Cancer Cell, Joyce, now at the University of Lausanne, revealed the findings from her team’s investigation into this question.2 The researchers discovered that fibrotic scar tissue formed after macrophage-targeted treatment acts as a safe harbor for dormant cancer cells and actively contributes to recurrence of resistant GBM. More importantly, they found that the process of scar formation—and therefore, tumor recurrence—can be stopped.

Recent trials have shown that immunotherapy can safely be delivered through injections into the cerebrospinal fluid. Scientists are now exploring how to adapt these methods to penetrate the tumor more effectively. Despite the promise of immunotherapy, making it effective for glioblastoma remains a challenge. Funding shortages have hampered brain cancer research in the past. But new initiatives are helping to recruit researchers from other fields to tackle glioblastoma.

Researchers at WashU Medicine have identified a possible way to make glioblastoma cells vulnerable to different types of immunotherapy. The strategy, which they demonstrated in cells in the lab, forces brain cancer cells to display targets for the immune system to attack. Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive cancers, as illustrated by these brain scans from a patient with glioblastoma at initial diagnosis (left) and the same patient with a recurrent tumor (right).

Two main cell subtypes in glioblastoma drive tumor growth: developmental and injury-response. Specific genetic vulnerabilities (OLIG2, MEK, FAK, B1-Integrin) in these cells may be targeted to halt tumor recurrence. This is the largest CRISPR screen of glioblastoma stem cells, derived directly from patients.