Immunotherapy for brain tumors | Frontiers research topic

Antigenic differences between normal and malignant cells of the cancer patient form the basis of clinical immunotherapeutic strategies. While the central nervous system has traditionally been considered an immune-privileged area, studies have been conducted demonstrating the potential efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of primary and secondary brain tumors. Immunization of patients with dendritic cells “fed” with derivatives of tumor cells or transfected with tumor RNA can lead to the induction of tumor-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against the patient’s malignant cells. In addition, work has been done on the regulation of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are able to block molecules involved in the inhibition of immune cells, which can lead to stimulation of the T cell response against various tumors, including brain tumors. Although results of dendritic cell immunotherapy or checkpoint inhibitors have been promising in animal models, clinical trials have documented relatively short-lived benefits or limited them to a minority of treated patients. In many aggressive tumors, such as gliomas, disease progression is enabled by local immunosuppression driven by the accumulation of regulatory T cells (Treg) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Cytokine gene vaccine therapy with IL-15 or IL-2 has also been shown to be effective in animal models of brain tumors in stimulating a strong antitumor immune response and prolonging survival.

All types of articles dealing with novel and innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of brain tumors are welcome on this Research Topic.

Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatic or computational analyses of public genome or transcriptome databases and not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are outside the scope of this Research Topic.

Tags: Brain tumors, gliomas, cytokine gene vaccine therapy, immunotherapy, angiogenesis, checkpoint inhibitors, dendritic cell therapy

Important NOTE: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to refer a manuscript that is out of scope to a more appropriate section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Antigenic differences between normal and malignant cells of the cancer patient form the basis of clinical immunotherapeutic strategies. While the central nervous system has traditionally been considered an immune-privileged area, studies have been conducted demonstrating the potential efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of primary and secondary brain tumors. Immunization of patients with dendritic cells “fed” with derivatives of tumor cells or transfected with tumor RNA can lead to the induction of tumor-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against the patient’s malignant cells. In addition, work has been done on the regulation of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are able to block molecules involved in the inhibition of immune cells, which can lead to stimulation of the T cell response against various tumors, including brain tumors. Although results of dendritic cell immunotherapy or checkpoint inhibitors have been promising in animal models, clinical trials have documented relatively short-lived benefits or limited them to a minority of treated patients. In many aggressive tumors, such as gliomas, disease progression is enabled by local immunosuppression driven by the accumulation of regulatory T cells (Treg) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Cytokine gene vaccine therapy with IL-15 or IL-2 has also been shown to be effective in animal models of brain tumors in stimulating a strong antitumor immune response and prolonging survival.

All types of articles dealing with novel and innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of brain tumors are welcome on this Research Topic.

Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatic or computational analyses of public genome or transcriptome databases and not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are outside the scope of this Research Topic.

Tags: Brain tumors, gliomas, cytokine gene vaccine therapy, immunotherapy, angiogenesis, checkpoint inhibitors, dendritic cell therapy

Important NOTE: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to refer a manuscript that is out of scope to a more appropriate section or journal at any stage of peer review.