Skip to main content

REVIEW article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1441460
This article is part of the Research Topic Repurposed Drugs Targeting Cancer Signaling Pathways: Clinical Insights to Improve Oncologic Therapies Volume II View all 6 articles

Challenges and Advances in Glioblastoma Targeted Therapy: The Promise of Drug Repurposing and Biomarker Exploration

Provisionally accepted
William H. Bae William H. Bae Stefania Maraka Stefania Maraka Ahmad Daher Ahmad Daher *
  • University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Glioblastoma remains the most prevalent and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults, characterized by limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. Previous drug repurposing efforts have yielded only marginal survival benefits, particularly those involving inhibitors targeting receptor tyrosine kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase-retinoblastoma pathways. This limited efficacy is likely due to several critical challenges, including the tumor's molecular heterogeneity, the dynamic evolution of its genetic profile, and the restrictive nature of the blood-brain barrier that impedes effective drug delivery. Emerging diagnostic tools, such as circulating tumor DNA and extracellular vesicles, offer promising non-invasive methods for realtime tumor monitoring, potentially enabling the application of targeted therapies to more selected patient populations. Moreover, innovative drug delivery strategies, including focused ultrasound, implantable drug-delivery systems, and engineered nanoparticles, hold potential for enhancing the bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy of treatments.

    Keywords: Glioblastoma, targeted therapy, drug repurposing, liquid biopsy, Extracellular vesicle (EV)

    Received: 31 May 2024; Accepted: 23 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Bae, Maraka and Daher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ahmad Daher, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.