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Updated: Aug 14, 2025
Isolation and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Glioma-infiltrating Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Published on: November 28, 2015
Immune checkpoint blockade in glioblastoma: from tumor heterogeneity to personalized treatment
Víctor A Arrieta1,2,3, Crismita Dmello1,3, Daniel J McGrail4,5
1Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Abstract:
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized modern cancer therapy, arousing great interest in the neuro-oncology community. While several reports show that subsets of patients with glioma exhibit durable responses to immunotherapy, the efficacy of this treatment has not been observed for unselected patient populations, preventing its broad clinical implementation for gliomas and glioblastoma (GBM). To exploit the maximum therapeutic potential of ICB for patients with glioma, understanding the different aspects of glioma-related tumor immune responses is of critical importance. In this Review, we discuss contributing factors that distinguish subsets of patients with glioma who may benefit from ICB. Specifically, we discuss (a) the complex interaction between the tumor immune microenvironment and glioma cells as a potential influence on immunotherapy responses; (b) promising biomarkers for responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors; and (c) the potential contributions of peripheral immune cells to therapeutic responses.
Insights
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) shows promise for glioma, but efficacy varies. Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment, biomarkers, and peripheral immune cells is key to optimizing ICB for glioma and glioblastoma (GBM).
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed cancer therapy, gaining traction in neuro-oncology.
- While some glioma patients respond well to immunotherapy, broad clinical application for gliomas and glioblastoma (GBM) is limited by inconsistent efficacy in unselected populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore factors influencing patient response to ICB in glioma.
- To identify strategies for maximizing the therapeutic potential of ICB in glioma patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on glioma immunology and immunotherapy.
- Analysis of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) in glioma.
- Investigation of potential biomarkers for ICB response.
- Exploration of the role of peripheral immune cells in immunotherapy.
Main Results:
- Glioma patient responses to ICB are heterogeneous.
- The tumor immune microenvironment significantly influences immunotherapy outcomes.
- Biomarkers are crucial for predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
- Peripheral immune cell activity may impact therapeutic efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the complex interplay within the glioma TME is essential for improving ICB efficacy.
- Identifying predictive biomarkers and leveraging peripheral immune cell contributions can enhance immunotherapy outcomes for glioma and GBM patients.
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