This Research Topic is the second volume of Innovative Approaches in Glioma Therapy: Exploring New Therapeutic Frontiers. Please see the first volume here.

Gliomas remain some of the most formidable and heterogeneous tumors of the central nervous system, classified as astrocytic, oligodendroglial, and ependymal neoplasms with World Health Organization (WHO) grades I–IV. Despite advancement in surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, outcomes—particularly for glioblastoma (grade IV glioma)—remain dismal, with median overall survival rarely exceeding 15 months. Resistance to conventional therapy, high rates of recurrence, and the inability of most therapeutic agents to cross the blood–brain barrier continue to pose major challenges, driving the need for novel, targeted treatment strategies with greater efficacy and lower toxicity.

Volume II continues to explore and showcase breakthroughs in the landscape of glioma therapy, with a specific focus on uncovering new and promising therapeutic strategies, targetable molecules, and multifaceted approaches to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes. New anti-glioma agents must target the complex signaling, genetic, and cellular machinery that underpins glioma development, proliferation, survival, invasion, and therapeutic resistance. We particularly encourage work that bridges the gap between molecular mechanisms and clinical application, as well as studies accommodating both adult and pediatric patient populations.

The areas to be addressed in this volume include, but are not limited to:

1. Identification and Validation of Targetable Molecules

Studies focusing on molecules implicated in glioma proliferation, survival, invasion, and metastasis—including but not limited to epigenetic regulatory proteins, DNA damage repair enzymes, kinases, peptides, transcription factors, and novel signaling molecules.

2. Development of Innovative Antitumor Strategies

Exploration of new antiproliferative, antimetastatic, antiangiogenic therapies; signal transduction inhibitors; gene expression modulators; hormone therapies; cytotoxic peptide-conjugate cancer therapeutics; apoptotic inducers; and peptide-receptor radionuclide therapy.

3. Functional and Structural Analysis of Drug–Target Interactions

Studies elucidating the structure–function relationships between ligands and receptors for the rational design and synthesis of highly effective anti-glioma compounds.

4. Tumor Microenvironment and Therapeutic Resistance

Investigation of the glioma microenvironment, glioma stem cells, blood–brain barrier dynamics, biomarkers, and drug repurposing strategies aimed at overcoming therapeutic resistance.

5. Translational Approaches and Clinical Studies

Original research, systematic reviews, clinical trials, and translational perspectives that provide insight into improving diagnosis, optimizing therapy, or enhancing the quality and duration of survival for glioma patients.

6. Innovative Technologies and Multimodal Treatment Paradigms

Research addressing intranasal drug delivery, gene therapy, immunotherapy, microRNAs, and other novel modalities, especially those progressing from laboratory validation toward clinical development.

Submissions may include original research, systematic reviews, reviews, mini reviews, perspectives, clinical trials, case reports, brief research reports, and opinions focused on any aspect of glioma. Manuscripts relying exclusively on bioinformatics or computational analyses (without independent validation in clinical cohorts or experimental systems) are not suitable for publication in Frontiers in Oncology.

We invite and welcome contributions that will help spark new lines of investigation and foster meaningful translation from bench to bedside, ultimately improving the outlook for patients battling glioma.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Innovative Approaches in Glioma Therapy: Exploring New Therapeutic Frontiers- Volume II