Targeted therapies for malignant glioma: progress and potential.

ABSTRACT: Malignant gliomas represent one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. Recent advances in the understanding of the deregulated molecular pathways of gliomas have brought about targeted therapies that have the ability to increase therapeutic efficacy in tumors while decreasing toxicity. Multi-targeted kinase inhibitors, novel monoclonal antibodies, and new vaccines have been developed. Standard treatments and current development of new therapies for malignant gliomas are reviewed, focusing specifically on growth factors and their receptors (e.g. epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor), as well as the intracellular effector molecules that are downstream of these growth factors (e.g. Ras/Raf/mitogen-act

SUBMITTER: Mercer RW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2669548 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature