Encyclopedia of Cancer

Living Edition
| Editors: Manfred Schwab

Glioblastoma Therapy

Living reference work entry
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_7171-5
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Synonyms

GBM therapy; Glioblastoma Multiforme Therapy

Definition

Glioblastoma (GBM) therapy refers to the treatment regimen for patients suffering from this highly aggressive and lethal brain tumor. The current standard of care for GBM is maximal surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide, a DNA alkylating agent. Despite technological advances in both surgical techniques and chemotherapeutic drugs, recurrence of GBM is almost a certainty. Therefore, for the majority of GBM patients, therapy is merely palliative. Research is actively underway to identify innovative new therapeutic strategies and more effective therapeutic compounds to improve GBM therapy.

Characteristics

Current Treatment Regimen

Current treatment regimens for GBMs involve targeting one of the hallmarks of GBM tumors through a combination of surgery, radiation, and intravenously delivered chemotherapeutic drugs. Surgery is the first step of treatment in glioblastoma. Removal of...

Keywords

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Oncolytic Virus Gliadel Wafer Oncolytic Viral Therapy Autologous Tumor Lysate 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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References

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Biomedical Research Imaging CenterUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillUSA