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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Hyaluronic-Acid Based Hydrogels for 3-Dimensional Culture of Patient-Derived Glioblastoma Cells
Published on: August 24, 2018
Cell death-based treatment of glioblastoma
Simone Fulda1,2,3
1Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University, Komturstr. 3a, 60528, Frankfurt, Germany. simone.fulda@kgu.de.
Abstract:
Cancer cells including glioblastoma have typically evolved multiple mechanisms to escape programmed cell death in order to maintain their survival. Defects in cell death mechanisms not only facilitate tumorigenesis but also ensure resistance to current anticancer therapies. This emphasizes that targeting cell death pathways may provide a means to tackle one of the Achilles' heels of cancer. Over the last decades several approaches have been developed to selectively target cell death pathways for therapeutic purposes. Some of these concepts have already been transferred into clinical application in oncology and may open new perspectives for the treatment of cancer.
Insights
Cancer cells evade programmed cell death, promoting tumor growth and therapy resistance. Targeting these cell death pathways offers a promising strategy for novel cancer treatments.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Death Research
Background:
- Cancer cells, including glioblastoma, develop mechanisms to evade programmed cell death for survival.
- Defects in cell death pathways contribute to tumor formation and resistance to existing cancer therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting cancer cell death pathways.
- To review strategies for selectively targeting cell death mechanisms in oncology.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of cell death evasion mechanisms in cancer.
- Analysis of therapeutic approaches targeting cell death pathways.
- Examination of clinical applications in oncology.
Main Results:
- Evasion of cell death is a key hallmark of cancer, enabling survival and treatment resistance.
- Targeting cell death pathways presents a viable strategy to overcome cancer's resistance mechanisms.
- Several therapeutic concepts targeting cell death are in clinical development.
Conclusions:
- Targeting cell death pathways represents a critical approach to combatting cancer.
- The development of therapies focused on cell death mechanisms offers new perspectives for cancer treatment.
- Clinical translation of cell death-targeting strategies holds significant promise for oncology.
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