Abstract
Despite ongoing advancements in the field of medicine, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is presently incurable, making this advanced brain tumor the deadliest tumor type in the central nervous system. The primary treatment strategies for GBM (i.e. surgical resection, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and newly incorporated targeted therapies) fail to overcome the challenging characteristics of highly aggressive GBM tumors and are presently given with the goal of increasing the quality of life for patients. With the aim of creating effective treatment solutions, research has shifted toward utilizing injectable biomaterial adjuncts to minimize invasiveness of treatment, provide spatiotemporal control of therapeutic delivery, and engage with cells through material-cell interfaces. This review aims to summarize the limitations of the current standard of care for GBM, discuss how these limitations can be addressed by local employment of injectable biomaterial systems, and highlight developments in the field of biomaterials for these applications.
Overview
- The study focuses on the limitations of the current standard of care for GBM and how these limitations can be addressed by local employment of injectable biomaterial systems. The methodology used for the experiment includes a review of the literature on GBM and the current standard of care, as well as a discussion of the limitations of these treatments. The primary objective of the study is to highlight the potential of injectable biomaterial systems as a novel treatment approach for GBM.
Comparative Analysis & Findings
- The study compares the outcomes observed under different experimental conditions or interventions, specifically the current standard of care for GBM and the potential of injectable biomaterial systems as a novel treatment approach. The key findings of the study suggest that injectable biomaterial systems have the potential to address the limitations of the current standard of care for GBM, such as invasiveness, spatiotemporal control, and engagement with cells through material-cell interfaces.
Implications and Future Directions
- The study's findings suggest that injectable biomaterial systems have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of GBM by providing a more effective and less invasive approach. However, the study also identifies several limitations that need to be addressed in future research, such as the need for more preclinical studies and the development of biocompatible materials. Future research directions could focus on optimizing the design and composition of injectable biomaterial systems, as well as exploring their potential for combination with other therapeutic approaches.