Immunotherapy in Glioblastoma: An Overview of Current Status

Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive brain tumor with standard therapies offering limited but measurable survival benefit. Immunotherapy is expanding the treatment landscape for GB. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including nivolumab and pembrolizumab, have shown benefit in several cancers and are being studied in GB, with ongoing efforts to address the tumor's immunosuppressive environment. Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies are also being explored, with new approaches designed to overcome antigen variability and improve access across the blood-brain barrier. Cancer vaccines, especially dendritic cell-based platforms like DCVax-L, have shown promising survival outcomes in clinical trials. Advances in biomarker analysis and genomics are supporting more personalized immunotherapy approaches. In addition, combination strategies involving ICIs, CAR T-cells, vaccines, and oncolytic viruses are being developed to enhance immune response. This review outlines current immunotherapy approaches in GB, focusing on their mechanisms, clinical development, and future directions.