1. The current state of immunotherapy for primary and secondary brain tumors: similarities and differences
- Author
-
Hideho Okada, Takahide Nejo, and Abigail L Mende
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Oncology ,Cancer Research ,medicine.medical_treatment ,immune checkpoint inhibitor ,0302 clinical medicine ,glioma ,vaccine ,Tumor Microenvironment ,brain metastasis ,Cancer ,Clinical Trials as Topic ,Brain Neoplasms ,General Medicine ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Immunotherapy ,immunotherapy ,brain tumor ,Review Article (Invited) ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Oncology and Carcinogenesis ,Antigen presentation ,Brain tumor ,Context (language use) ,Cancer Vaccines ,cellular immunotherapy ,Vaccine Related ,03 medical and health sciences ,Rare Diseases ,Immune system ,Internal medicine ,Glioma ,medicine ,Humans ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,Oncology & Carcinogenesis ,Tumor microenvironment ,viral immunotherapy ,business.industry ,glioblastoma ,Neurosciences ,central nervous system ,medicine.disease ,Brain Disorders ,Brain Cancer ,antigen presentation ,Orphan Drug ,Good Health and Well Being ,030104 developmental biology ,Immunization ,Glioblastoma ,business ,Brain metastasis - Abstract
Treatment and resolution of primary and metastatic brain tumors have long presented a challenge to oncologists. In response to the dismal survival outcomes associated with conventional therapies, various immunotherapy modalities, such as checkpoint inhibitors, vaccine, cellular immunotherapy and viral immunotherapy have been actively explored over the past couple of decades. Although improved patient survival has been more frequently noted in treatment of brain metastases, little progress has been made in improving patient survival in cases of primary brain tumors, specifically glioblastoma, which is the representative primary brain tumor discussed in this review. Herein, we will first overview the findings of recent clinical studies for treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors with immunotherapeutic interventions. The clinical efficacy of these immunotherapies will be discussed in the context of their ability or inability to overcome inherent characteristics of the tumor as well as restricted antigen presentation and its immunosuppressive microenvironment. Additionally, this review aims to briefly inform clinicians in the field of neuro-oncology on the relevant aspects of the immune system as it pertains to the central nervous system, with special focus on the differing modes of antigen presentation and tumor microenvironment of primary and metastatic brain tumors and the role these differences may play in the efficacy of immunotherapy in eradicating the tumor.
- Published
- 2020