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Therapeutic Options in Neuro-Oncology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105351. [PMID: 35628161 PMCID: PMC9140894 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the biggest challenges in neuro-oncology is understanding the complexity of central nervous system tumors, such as gliomas, in order to develop suitable therapeutics. Conventional therapies in malignant gliomas reconcile surgery and radiotherapy with the use of chemotherapeutic options such as temozolomide, chloroethyl nitrosoureas and the combination therapy of procarbazine, lomustine and vincristine. With the unraveling of deregulated cancer cell signaling pathways, targeted therapies have been developed. The most affected signaling pathways in glioma cells involve tyrosine kinase receptors and their downstream pathways, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways (MAPK). MAPK pathway inhibitors include farnesyl transferase inhibitors, Ras kinase inhibitors and mitogen-activated protein extracellular regulated kinase (MEK) inhibitors, while PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors are divided into pan-inhibitors, PI3K/mTOR dual inhibitors and AKT inhibitors. The relevance of the immune system in carcinogenesis has led to the development of immunotherapy, through vaccination, blocking of immune checkpoints, oncolytic viruses, and adoptive immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor T cells. In this article we provide a comprehensive review of the signaling pathways underlying malignant transformation, the therapies currently used in the treatment of malignant gliomas and further explore therapies under development, including several ongoing clinical trials.
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Bolcaen J, Nair S, Driver CHS, Boshomane TMG, Ebenhan T, Vandevoorde C. Novel Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Pathway Inhibitors for Targeted Radionuclide Therapy of Glioblastoma. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:626. [PMID: 34209513 PMCID: PMC8308832 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GB) remains the most fatal brain tumor characterized by a high infiltration rate and treatment resistance. Overexpression and/or mutation of receptor tyrosine kinases is common in GB, which subsequently leads to the activation of many downstream pathways that have a critical impact on tumor progression and therapy resistance. Therefore, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKIs) have been investigated to improve the dismal prognosis of GB in an effort to evolve into a personalized targeted therapy strategy with a better treatment outcome. Numerous RTKIs have been approved in the clinic and several radiopharmaceuticals are part of (pre)clinical trials as a non-invasive method to identify patients who could benefit from RTKI. The latter opens up the scope for theranostic applications. In this review, the present status of RTKIs for the treatment, nuclear imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy of GB is presented. The focus will be on seven tyrosine kinase receptors, based on their central role in GB: EGFR, VEGFR, MET, PDGFR, FGFR, Eph receptor and IGF1R. Finally, by way of analyzing structural and physiological characteristics of the TKIs with promising clinical trial results, four small molecule RTKIs were selected based on their potential to become new therapeutic GB radiopharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bolcaen
- Radiobiology, Radiation Biophysics Division, Nuclear Medicine Department, iThemba LABS, Cape Town 7131, South Africa;
| | - Shankari Nair
- Radiobiology, Radiation Biophysics Division, Nuclear Medicine Department, iThemba LABS, Cape Town 7131, South Africa;
| | - Cathryn H. S. Driver
- Radiochemistry, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, Pelindaba, Brits 0240, South Africa;
- Pre-Clinical Imaging Facility, Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure, Pelindaba, Brits 0242, South Africa;
| | - Tebatso M. G. Boshomane
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Thomas Ebenhan
- Pre-Clinical Imaging Facility, Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure, Pelindaba, Brits 0242, South Africa;
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Pretoria Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
- Preclinical Drug Development Platform, Department of Science and Technology, North West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | - Charlot Vandevoorde
- Radiobiology, Radiation Biophysics Division, Nuclear Medicine Department, iThemba LABS, Cape Town 7131, South Africa;
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Lange F, Hörnschemeyer J, Kirschstein T. Glutamatergic Mechanisms in Glioblastoma and Tumor-Associated Epilepsy. Cells 2021; 10:cells10051226. [PMID: 34067762 PMCID: PMC8156732 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The progression of glioblastomas is associated with a variety of neurological impairments, such as tumor-related epileptic seizures. Seizures are not only a common comorbidity of glioblastoma but often an initial clinical symptom of this cancer entity. Both, glioblastoma and tumor-associated epilepsy are closely linked to one another through several pathophysiological mechanisms, with the neurotransmitter glutamate playing a key role. Glutamate interacts with its ionotropic and metabotropic receptors to promote both tumor progression and excitotoxicity. In this review, based on its physiological functions, our current understanding of glutamate receptors and glutamatergic signaling will be discussed in detail. Furthermore, preclinical models to study glutamatergic interactions between glioma cells and the tumor-surrounding microenvironment will be presented. Finally, current studies addressing glutamate receptors in glioma and tumor-related epilepsy will be highlighted and future approaches to interfere with the glutamatergic network are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falko Lange
- Oscar-Langendorff-Institute of Physiology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (T.K.)
| | - Julia Hörnschemeyer
- Oscar-Langendorff-Institute of Physiology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Timo Kirschstein
- Oscar-Langendorff-Institute of Physiology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Correspondence: (F.L.); (T.K.)
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Cruz Da Silva E, Mercier MC, Etienne-Selloum N, Dontenwill M, Choulier L. A Systematic Review of Glioblastoma-Targeted Therapies in Phases II, III, IV Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1795. [PMID: 33918704 PMCID: PMC8069979 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most frequent and aggressive glial tumor, is currently treated as first line by the Stupp protocol, which combines, after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. For recurrent GBM, in absence of standard treatment or available clinical trials, various protocols including cytotoxic drugs and/or bevacizumab are currently applied. Despite these heavy treatments, the mean overall survival of patients is under 18 months. Many clinical studies are underway. Based on clinicaltrials.org and conducted up to 1 April 2020, this review lists, not only main, but all targeted therapies in phases II-IV of 257 clinical trials on adults with newly diagnosed or recurrent GBMs for the last twenty years. It does not involve targeted immunotherapies and therapies targeting tumor cell metabolism, that are well documented in other reviews. Without surprise, the most frequently reported drugs are those targeting (i) EGFR (40 clinical trials), and more generally tyrosine kinase receptors (85 clinical trials) and (ii) VEGF/VEGFR (75 clinical trials of which 53 involving bevacizumab). But many other targets and drugs are of interest. They are all listed and thoroughly described, on an one-on-one basis, in four sections related to targeting (i) GBM stem cells and stem cell pathways, (ii) the growth autonomy and migration, (iii) the cell cycle and the escape to cell death, (iv) and angiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabete Cruz Da Silva
- CNRS, UMR 7021, Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France; (E.C.D.S.); (M.-C.M.); (N.E.-S.); (M.D.)
| | - Marie-Cécile Mercier
- CNRS, UMR 7021, Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France; (E.C.D.S.); (M.-C.M.); (N.E.-S.); (M.D.)
| | - Nelly Etienne-Selloum
- CNRS, UMR 7021, Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France; (E.C.D.S.); (M.-C.M.); (N.E.-S.); (M.D.)
- Service de Pharmacie, Institut de Cancérologie Strasbourg Europe, 67200 Strasbourg, France
| | - Monique Dontenwill
- CNRS, UMR 7021, Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France; (E.C.D.S.); (M.-C.M.); (N.E.-S.); (M.D.)
| | - Laurence Choulier
- CNRS, UMR 7021, Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France; (E.C.D.S.); (M.-C.M.); (N.E.-S.); (M.D.)
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Ou A, Ott M, Fang D, Heimberger AB. The Role and Therapeutic Targeting of JAK/STAT Signaling in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:437. [PMID: 33498872 PMCID: PMC7865703 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma remains one of the deadliest and treatment-refractory human malignancies in large part due to its diffusely infiltrative nature, molecular heterogeneity, and capacity for immune escape. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway contributes substantively to a wide variety of protumorigenic functions, including proliferation, anti-apoptosis, angiogenesis, stem cell maintenance, and immune suppression. We review the current state of knowledge regarding the biological role of JAK/STAT signaling in glioblastoma, therapeutic strategies, and future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ou
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Martina Ott
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
| | - Dexing Fang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
| | - Amy B. Heimberger
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA; (M.O.); (D.F.)
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Escamilla-Ramírez A, Castillo-Rodríguez RA, Zavala-Vega S, Jimenez-Farfan D, Anaya-Rubio I, Briseño E, Palencia G, Guevara P, Cruz-Salgado A, Sotelo J, Trejo-Solís C. Autophagy as a Potential Therapy for Malignant Glioma. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13070156. [PMID: 32707662 PMCID: PMC7407942 DOI: 10.3390/ph13070156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioma is the most frequent and aggressive type of brain neoplasm, being anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), its most malignant forms. The survival rate in patients with these neoplasms is 15 months after diagnosis, despite a diversity of treatments, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. The resistance of GBM to various therapies is due to a highly mutated genome; these genetic changes induce a de-regulation of several signaling pathways and result in higher cell proliferation rates, angiogenesis, invasion, and a marked resistance to apoptosis; this latter trait is a hallmark of highly invasive tumor cells, such as glioma cells. Due to a defective apoptosis in gliomas, induced autophagic death can be an alternative to remove tumor cells. Paradoxically, however, autophagy in cancer can promote either a cell death or survival. Modulating the autophagic pathway as a death mechanism for cancer cells has prompted the use of both inhibitors and autophagy inducers. The autophagic process, either as a cancer suppressing or inducing mechanism in high-grade gliomas is discussed in this review, along with therapeutic approaches to inhibit or induce autophagy in pre-clinical and clinical studies, aiming to increase the efficiency of conventional treatments to remove glioma neoplastic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Escamilla-Ramírez
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Rosa A. Castillo-Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Oncología Experimental, CONACYT-Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Ciudad de México 04530, Mexico;
| | - Sergio Zavala-Vega
- Departamento de Patología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico;
| | - Dolores Jimenez-Farfan
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
| | - Isabel Anaya-Rubio
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Eduardo Briseño
- Clínica de Neurooncología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico;
| | - Guadalupe Palencia
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Patricia Guevara
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Arturo Cruz-Salgado
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Julio Sotelo
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
| | - Cristina Trejo-Solís
- Departamento de Neuroinmunología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Ciudad de México 14269, Mexico; (A.E.-R.); (I.A.-R.); (G.P.); (P.G.); (A.C.-S.); (J.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-555-060-4040
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Sharma P, Debinski W. Receptor-Targeted Glial Brain Tumor Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3326. [PMID: 30366424 PMCID: PMC6274942 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19113326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Among primary brain tumors, malignant gliomas are notably difficult to manage. The higher-grade tumors represent an unmet need in medicine. There have been extensive efforts to implement receptor-targeted therapeutic approaches directed against gliomas. These approaches include immunotherapies, such as vaccines, adoptive immunotherapy, and passive immunotherapy. Targeted cytotoxic radio energy and pro-drug activation have been designed specifically for brain tumors. The field of targeting through receptors progressed significantly with the discovery of an interleukin 13 receptor alpha 2 (IL-13RA2) as a tumor-associated receptor over-expressed in most patients with glioblastoma (GBM) but not in normal brain. IL-13RA2 has been exploited in novel experimental therapies with very encouraging clinical responses. Other receptors are specifically over-expressed in many patients with GBM, such as EphA2 and EphA3 receptors, among others. These findings are important in view of the heterogeneity of GBM tumors and multiple tumor compartments responsible for tumor progression and resistance to therapies. The combined targeting of multiple receptors in different tumor compartments should be a preferred way to design novel receptor-targeted therapeutic approaches in gliomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja Sharma
- Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
| | - Waldemar Debinski
- Brain Tumor Center of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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Lee JE, Lim JH, Hong YK, Yang SH. High-Dose Metformin Plus Temozolomide Shows Increased Anti-tumor Effects in Glioblastoma In Vitro and In Vivo Compared with Monotherapy. Cancer Res Treat 2018; 50:1331-1342. [PMID: 29334602 PMCID: PMC6192919 DOI: 10.4143/crt.2017.466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate the efficacy of combined treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) and metformin for glioblastoma (GBM) in Vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods We investigated the efficacy of combined treatment with TMZ and metformin using cell viability and apoptosis assays. A GBM orthotopic mice model was established by inoculation of 5×105 U87 cells and treatedwith metformin, TMZ, and the combination for 4weeks. Western blotting and immunofluorescence of tumor specimens were analyzed to investigate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and AKT pathway. Results The combination of TMZ and metformin showed higher cytotoxicity than single agents in U87, U251, and A172 cell lines. A combination of high-dose metformin and TMZ showed the highest apoptotic activity. The combination of TMZ and metformin enhanced AMPK phosphorylation and inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation, AKT phosphorylation, and p53 expression. The median survival of each group was 43.6, 55.2, 53.2, 65.2, and 71.3 days for control, metformin treatment (2 mg/25 g/day or 10 mg/25 g/day), TMZ treatment (15 mg/kg/day), combination treatment with low-dose metformin and TMZ, and combination treatment with high-dose metformin and TMZ, respectively. Expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) was significantly decreased in tumor specimens treated with metformin and TMZ. Conclusion The combination of metformin and TMZ was superior to monotherapy using metformin or TMZ in terms of cell viability in Vitro and survival in vivo. The combination of high-dose metformin and TMZ inhibited FASN expression in an orthotopic model. Inhibition of FASN might be a potential therapeutic target of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Eun Lee
- Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, Cell Death Disease Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
| | - Ji Hee Lim
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong Kil Hong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung Ho Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, Cell Death Disease Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwon, Korea
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Chamberlain MC. Neuro-oncology: a selected review of ASCO 2011 abstracts. Expert Rev Neurother 2011; 11:1371-7. [PMID: 21955193 DOI: 10.1586/ern.11.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the largest clinical oncology meeting in the USA, meets annually and consistently provides an exciting forum to present new cancer clinical trials and research data. The ASCO 2011 neuro-oncology session, comprising of 3 days of presentations and over 100 abstracts, provided an overview of neuro-oncology, including both metastatic diseases of the CNS and primary brain tumors. This brief article attempts to highlight select abstracts presented at this years meeting in an organizational manner that will hopefully provide a portrait of the large and multifaceted meeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc C Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuro-Oncology, University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Research Cancer Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, 825 Eastlake Avenue East, Mailstop: G4-940, Seattle, WA 98109-1023, USA.
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