Neuromodulation in Neuro-Oncology: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Neuromodulation is gaining traction in neuro-oncology, spurred by tumor treating fields (TTF) survival benefits in glioblastoma.
• Cancer neuroscience suggests neural-tumor communication is a targetable pathway for neuromodulation.
• This review comprehensively assesses neuromodulation applications in brain tumor management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of preclinical and clinical studies on neuromodulation for brain tumors.
• To evaluate current and future applications of neuromodulation in neuro-oncology.
• To synthesize findings on various neuromodulation modalities and their efficacy.

Main Methods:

• MEDLINE database search from inception to December 1, 2024.
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to 3296 initial results, yielding 79 studies.
• Synthesis of findings categorized into preclinical and clinical research.

Main Results:

• Preclinical studies (n=18) explored electrical therapy, electroporation, electromagnetic fields (EMF), and deep brain stimulation (DBS).
• Clinical studies (n=61) examined preoperative (TMS, tDCS) and postoperative (TMS, TTF, EMF, SCS) neuromodulation.
• Findings indicate diverse applications from surgical planning to rehabilitation and therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

• Neuromodulation is an emerging adjunctive therapy in neuro-oncology with encouraging preliminary results.
• Various modalities show potential across a spectrum of brain tumor management applications.
• Urgent further research is required to fully realize neuromodulation's potential for improving patient outcomes.