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Review
. 2025 Jan:51:102187.
doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102187. Epub 2024 Nov 11.

Starting points for the development of new targeted therapies for glioblastoma multiforme

Agnieszka Rusak  1 , Benita Wiatrak  2 , Klaudia Krawczyńska  3 , Tomasz Górnicki  4 , Karol Zagórski  4 , Łukasz Zadka  5 , Wojciech Fortuna  6
Affiliations
Review

Starting points for the development of new targeted therapies for glioblastoma multiforme

Agnieszka Rusak et al. Transl Oncol. 2025 Jan.

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and lethal brain tumors, characterized by rapid growth, invasiveness, and resistance to standard therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Despite advances in treatment, GBM remains highly resistant due to its complex molecular mechanisms, including angiogenesis, invasion, immune modulation, and lipid metabolism dysregulation. This review explores recent breakthroughs in targeted therapies, focusing on innovative drug carriers such as nanoparticles and liposomes, and their potential to overcome GBM's chemo- and radioresistant phenotypes. We also discuss the molecular pathways involved in GBM progression and the latest therapeutic strategies, including immunotherapy and precision medicine approaches, which hold promise for improving clinical outcomes. The review highlights the importance of understanding GBM's genetic and molecular heterogeneity to develop more effective, personalized treatment protocols aimed at increasing survival rates and enhancing the quality of life for GBM patients.

Keywords: Anticancer treatment; Chemoresistance phenotype; Glioblastoma; Targeted therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Image, graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
Fig 1
Fig. 1
Characteristic features of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) biology linked with treatment failure. Created with BioRender.com.
Fig 2
Fig. 2
A key challenge in the treatment of GBM which may lead to clinical impairment in patients undergoing therapy. Created with BioRender.com.
Fig 3
Fig. 3
New avenues for targeted therapy design in GBM are currently under investigation and appear promising. Created with BioRender.com.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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