Time to heal: inhibiting fibrosis prevents glioblastoma recurrence.

in Trends in cancer by Dhanashree Mundhe, Neta Erez

TLDR

  • Glioblastoma is a type of brain cancer that is difficult to treat. Watson et al. found that when we treat glioblastoma, it can cause inflammation and scarring in the brain. These fibrotic niches can protect the remaining cancer cells from being found by the immune system, allowing them to grow again later. The study found that if we can stop this inflammation and scarring from happening, it can reduce the chances of the cancer coming back. This study suggests that targeting these fibrotic niches and inflammation may be a way to prevent the cancer from coming back in the future.

Abstract

New findings by Watson et al. demonstrate that therapy-induced inflammation and fibrosis potentiate glioblastoma recurrence. Post-treatment fibrotic niches shielded surviving tumor cells from immune surveillance, supported their persistence in a dormant state, and enabled rebound growth. Timely inhibition of inflammation and scarring attenuated recurrence, encouraging the use of new combinatorial approaches in glioblastoma therapy.

Overview

  • The study investigates the role of therapy-induced inflammation and fibrosis in glioblastoma recurrence. The authors hypothesized that fibrotic niches protect surviving tumor cells from immune surveillance and enable rebound growth. The study used a murine model of glioblastoma and analyzed the effects of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic treatments on recurrence. The primary objective was to determine the impact of these treatments on recurrence and identify potential therapeutic targets for glioblastoma therapy.

Comparative Analysis & Findings

  • The study found that anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic treatments significantly reduced recurrence in the murine model of glioblastoma. The authors identified fibrotic niches as a key mechanism underlying recurrence and demonstrated that timely inhibition of inflammation and scarring attenuated recurrence. The study also showed that anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic treatments did not affect tumor growth or survival, suggesting that these treatments target recurrence rather than primary tumor growth.

Implications and Future Directions

  • The study highlights the importance of targeting fibrotic niches in glioblastoma therapy and suggests that timely inhibition of inflammation and scarring may be an effective approach to prevent recurrence. Future research should focus on developing new combinatorial approaches that target both inflammation and fibrosis to improve the efficacy of glioblastoma therapy. Additionally, further studies are needed to validate the findings in human glioblastoma models and translate them into clinical practice.
Read Full Article