Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of glioma and is associated with a very poor prognosis. The standard treatment includes radiotherapy concurrent with temozolomide, however recently the Food and Drug Administration approved bevacizumab for use in patients with progressive glioblastoma following prior therapy. The limited number of treatment options points to the need for novel effective therapeutic approaches. A promising approach is the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in GBM treatment. However, the results from the majority of clinical trials using TKIs are not very encouraging. One growing area is the development of tumor-homing peptides that resemble the integrin recognition sequence RGD. In this article, the role of integrins and focal adhesion kinase in malignant glioma is reviewed, and an experimental study is proposed that will apply a strategy for peptide-mediated delivery of compounds deep into tumor parenchyma using tumor-homing peptides.

Aim: Patients with glioblastomas demonstrate well-documented immunological impairments including decreased numbers of mature dendritic cells (DCs). Recent data identified karyopherin a2 (KPNA2), a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling receptor, as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for gliomas. The aim of this ongoing study is to correlate parameters of immunity and nucleocytoplasmic transport in glioblastoma patients.

Methods: We preoperatively collected serum from 17 patients with glioblastomas and determined DC subsets (HLA DR+ Lin-, CD34-, CD45+, CD123+, CD11+ were analyzed) using a 6-color flow cytometry panel. Expression levels of KPNA2 and nuclear accumulation of p53 were evaluated semi-quantitatively by immunohistochemistry. O⁶-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH-1) status were assessed by pyrosequencing and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results: Median expression levels for both KPNA2 and p53 were 5-10%. IDH-1-R132H mutation and MGMT promoter hypermethylation was detected in 3/16 and 1/9 patients, respectively. Mean counts of total mature DCs, myeloid DCs and plasmacytoid DCs were 9.6, 2.1, 3.4 cells/μL. A preliminary analysis suggests an association between low KPNA2 nuclear expression and increased numbers of mature DCs. However, this correlation did not reach statistical significance so far (P = 0.077).

Conclusion: Our preliminary data may indicate a role of KPNA2 in the impaired maturation of DCs observed in glioblastoma patients.

Aim: Several epidemiological studies have shown an inverse correlation between allergy and brain cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare the serum IgE levels between patients with gliomas and nonglial tumors and their possible prognostic role.

Methods: A total of 84 patients with intracranial tumors were included in this study. At clinical presentation, estimation of serum IgE levels was assessed by nephelometry. Detailed information regarding the history of allergies was collected by interview.

Results: Of the 84 cases, 42 were gliomas, 23 were meningiomas, 16 were metastases and 3 were primary central nervous system lymphomas. Patients with high-grade glioma had lower IgE levels than patients with low-grade glioma. Patients with glioma and meningioma had statistical significant lower serum IgE levels than patients with metastases. Patients with glioblastoma with serum IgE levels greater than 24 U/mL had a better survival.

Conclusion: Patients with glioma and meningioma had lower IgE levels than patients with metastatic lesions. A prognostic role of serum IgE levels was found in glioblastoma. Further studies in larger patient series are required in order to verify our preliminary observations.

High-grade gliomas are the most common type of brain tumors. Of these, glioblastoma account for 60-70% and despite treatment carries a dismal prognosis. Postoperative surgical site infection has been associated with prolonged survival. Herewith, we present a case of glioblastoma and a case of anaplastic oligoastrocytoma that developed postoperative infection of the surgical site and had prolonged survival. A thorough literature review is also presented.