The Development of Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastoma

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the deadliest primary central nervous system (CNS) cancer in adults despite aggressive treatment. Once progressed, the prognosis is very poor and the effective traditional medicine treatment options are limited, so the management of recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) remains challenging. Immunotherapy has revolutionized the prospects for many cancer types, but the intrinsic complexity of treating intracerebral tumors and the highly immunosuppressive environment have hampered the development of effective immunotherapies. The current focus of research in rGBM is on combination therapy, identifying predictive markers, and establishing synergy between immunotherapy and standard treatment. In this review, we discuss the current state of immunotherapy for rGBM, its future directions, and the challenges associated with each strategy. ABSTRACT: Recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) is a highly aggressive form of brain cancer that poses a significant challenge for treatment in neuro-oncology, and the survival status of patients after relapse usually means rapid deterioration, thus becoming the leading cause of death among patients. In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma by stimulating the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, which could be used in combination with other treatments such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to improve outcomes for patients with recurrent glioblastoma. This therapy combines several key methods such as the use of monoclonal antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic viral therapy cancer vaccines, and combination strategies. In this review, we mainly document the latest immunotherapies for the treatment of glioblastoma and especially focus on rGBM.