title: Advances in stem cell therapy against gliomas.
abstract: Malignant gliomas are one of the most lethal cancers, and despite extensive research very little progress has been made in improving prognosis. Multimodality treatment combining surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is the current gold standard, but effective treatment remains difficult due to the invasive nature and high recurrence of gliomas. Stem cell-based therapy using neural, mesenchymal, or hematopoietic stem cells may be an alternative approach because it is tumor selective and allows targeted therapy that spares healthy brain tissue. Stem cells can be used to establish a long-term antitumor response by stimulating the immune system and delivering prodrug, metabolizing genes, or oncolytic viruses. In this review, we discuss current trends and the latest developments in stem cell therapy against malignant gliomas from both the experimental laboratory and the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Therapeutics and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: M Sarah S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bovenberg
authors.forename: M Hannah
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Degeling
authors.forename: Bakhos A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Tannous
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005910:Glioma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical