Novel Therapies for Malignant Gliomas

The impact of cytotoxic therapies on the outcome of glioblastoma has been modest thus far. Yet it is clear that subsets of high-grade gliomas exist that are sensitive to treatment. Patients deemed resistant to the current standard approach may be selected for alternative therapies, thereby avoiding treatment toxicity from an ineffective treatment. The future of novel therapies lies in our understanding of the molecular biology of gliomas and their stem cells. Not only will this drive the development of new agents, it will also lead to tailored therapies for specific tumors. Yet much research is still needed at all levels, from the identification of molecular markers to the development and application of novel therapeutics.