Vaccine Therapy of High-Grade Gliomas

Abstract

Multiple phase II clinical trials on the use of tumor vaccines in cases of high-grade gliomas (HGG), in particular autologous formalin-fixed tumor vaccine (AFTV), demonstrated the safety and potential efficacy of such therapy. There is evidence that maximal resection of neoplasm provides optimal conditions for enhancement of the tumor-specific immune reactions induced by vaccine administration, and thus aggressive surgery may be an important prerequisite for treatment success. Irradiation and chemotherapy may also enhance the effectiveness of vaccines, particularly through modulation of the tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, the most effective combinations of vaccine therapies with surgery, irradiation, chemotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy, or other modes of immunotherapy in cases of HGG are still unclear and likely to be an active area of research in the future.