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Monitoring the Cancer-Immunity Cycle and Exploring Tumor Microenvironment Dynamics
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CNS cancer immunity cycle and strategies to target this for glioblastoma

Malaka Ameratunga1, Niamh Coleman1, Liam Welsh2

  • 1Drug Development Unit, Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton SM2 5PT, UK.

Oncotarget
|June 2, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Immunotherapeutics show promise for solid tumors but face challenges in brain cancers like glioblastoma. This review explores why immunotherapies struggle in the central nervous system (CNS) and how to overcome these hurdles.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Immunotherapeutics have transformed solid tumor treatment.
  • Checkpoint inhibitors have shown limited efficacy in central nervous system (CNS) malignancies.
  • Glioblastoma presents unique challenges for immunotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the challenges hindering immunotherapy success in CNS tumors.
  • To utilize the cancer-immunity cycle as a framework for understanding these challenges.
  • To identify potential strategies for improving immunotherapy in brain cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review utilizing the cancer-immunity cycle as a conceptual framework.
  • Analysis of factors affecting immunotherapy in the CNS environment.
  • Discussion of blood-brain barrier (BBB) implications for drug delivery and lymphocyte trafficking.

Main Results:

  • The CNS immune microenvironment, particularly in glioblastoma, poses significant barriers.
  • The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts effective drug delivery and immune cell infiltration.
  • Current immunotherapeutic strategies face limitations in penetrating and functioning within the CNS.

Conclusions:

  • Overcoming CNS-specific barriers is crucial for advancing brain cancer immunotherapy.
  • Targeting the tumor microenvironment and enhancing drug delivery are key strategies.
  • The cancer-immunity cycle provides a valuable lens for developing future CNS immunotherapeutics.
Keywords:
cancer-immunity cyclecheckpoint inhibitorsclinical trialsglioblastomaimmunotherapy

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