Glioblastoma multiforme: What's new in relation to established therapeutics?

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive neoplasms of the central nervous system, with low survival rate and unfavorable prognosis. Despite advances in diagnosis, the average survival after treatment is 14 to 18 months, with stereotactic radiosurgery still not showing substantial improvements. This study aims to review current therapeutic approaches for the control of GBM, including pharmacological, surgical and alternative therapies. The bibliographic search was conducted between September and October 2024 in the PubMed and BVS databases, using recent articles (2023-2024) related to therapies for GBM, selected through keywords defined in the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS). The results indicate that, although temozolomide is the only approved drug, its limitations, such as low efficacy and side effects, generate the search for new therapeutic combinations, such as the use of metformin and resveratrol. Surgical techniques, such as supratotal resection, and innovative therapies, such as tumor treating field therapy (TTFields) and laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), have shown promising results, especially in recurrent cases. In the field of immunotherapy, approaches such as CAR-T cells and dendritic cell vaccines are under development, but conclusive evidence of their benefits is still lacking. The study concludes that, despite progress, the treatment of GBM remains a major challenge and more research is needed to improve survival and quality of life for patients.

Keywords: Glioblastoma Multiforme; Neoplasm; Therapies.