Glioma accounts for nearly half of all primary malignancies in the central nervous system (CNS), with grade IV glioma or glioblastoma being the most aggressive subtype of CNS tumors and having a median survival of only 15 months. Current treatments for glioma include a combination of surgical resection, radiotherapy or radiosurgery, and chemotherapy (typically temozolomide). Given its poor prognosis, there is an unmet need for a better understanding of its biology so as to facilitate the development of more effective treatments.
Gliomas are often heterogeneous tumors, characterized by multiple subclonal driver mutations which create a highly adaptable entity that crosstalks with the tumor microenvironment (such as hypoxia, nutrition deprivation, immunity aberration) to further support its growth and metastasis. As with other cancers, altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of malignant gliomas. Glioblastoma in particular reprograms its glucose, amino acid, lipid and nucleotide metabolic pathways to increase its adaptability in the tumor microenvironment. Such metabolic rewiring leads not only to tumor progression/metastasis, but also to therapy resistance. Unfortunately, our understanding of the complex interplay between tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, and altered metabolism in glioblastoma is still in its infancy. Understanding these interactions is increasingly critical for the development of better treatments for glioma patients.
This Research Topic aims to foster our understanding of the interplay between the tumor heterogeneity, altered tumor metabolism, and tumor microenvironment in gliomas, as well as identifying novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and better treatment. It also aims to reveal novel therapeutic targets to overcome drug resistance and identify biomarkers for better patient stratification. Both basic cancer biology and clinical submissions will be considered for this Research Topic, which will focus but not be limited to the following:
• Tumor heterogeneity in glioma
• Tumor metabolic rewiring in glioma
• Tumor microenvironment (hypoxia, nutrition deprivation, immunity aberration, etc.) in glioma
• Therapy resistance in glioma
• Biomarkers in glioma
Glioma accounts for nearly half of all primary malignancies in the central nervous system (CNS), with grade IV glioma or glioblastoma being the most aggressive subtype of CNS tumors and having a median survival of only 15 months. Current treatments for glioma include a combination of surgical resection, radiotherapy or radiosurgery, and chemotherapy (typically temozolomide). Given its poor prognosis, there is an unmet need for a better understanding of its biology so as to facilitate the development of more effective treatments.
Gliomas are often heterogeneous tumors, characterized by multiple subclonal driver mutations which create a highly adaptable entity that crosstalks with the tumor microenvironment (such as hypoxia, nutrition deprivation, immunity aberration) to further support its growth and metastasis. As with other cancers, altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of malignant gliomas. Glioblastoma in particular reprograms its glucose, amino acid, lipid and nucleotide metabolic pathways to increase its adaptability in the tumor microenvironment. Such metabolic rewiring leads not only to tumor progression/metastasis, but also to therapy resistance. Unfortunately, our understanding of the complex interplay between tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment, and altered metabolism in glioblastoma is still in its infancy. Understanding these interactions is increasingly critical for the development of better treatments for glioma patients.
This Research Topic aims to foster our understanding of the interplay between the tumor heterogeneity, altered tumor metabolism, and tumor microenvironment in gliomas, as well as identifying novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and better treatment. It also aims to reveal novel therapeutic targets to overcome drug resistance and identify biomarkers for better patient stratification. Both basic cancer biology and clinical submissions will be considered for this Research Topic, which will focus but not be limited to the following:
• Tumor heterogeneity in glioma
• Tumor metabolic rewiring in glioma
• Tumor microenvironment (hypoxia, nutrition deprivation, immunity aberration, etc.) in glioma
• Therapy resistance in glioma
• Biomarkers in glioma
