Subventricular zone-associated glioblastoma: A call for translational research to guide clinical decision making

Glioblastoma (GBM) is both the most common and the most devastating primary cancer of the central nervous system, with an expected overall survival in most patients of about 14 months. Despite extensive research, outcomes for GBM have been largely unchanged since the introduction of temozolomide in 2005. We believe that in order to achieve a breakthrough in therapeutic management, we must begin to identify subtypes of GBM, and tailor treatment to best target a particular tumor's vulnerabilities. Our group has recently produced an examination of the clinical outcomes of radiation therapy directed at tumors that contact the subventricular zone (SVZ), the 3-5 mm lateral border of the lateral ventricles that contains the largest collection of neural stem cells in the adult brain. We find that SVZ-associated tumors have worse progression free and overall survival than tumors that do not contact the SVZ, and that they exhibit unique recurrence and migration patterns. However, with minimal basic science research into SVZ-associated GBM, it is currently impossible to determine if the clinicobehavioral uniqueness of this group of tumors represents a true disease subtype from a genetic perspective. We believe that further translational research into SVZ-associated GBM is needed to establish a therapeutic profile.