Glioblastoma Treatment Approaches: A Critical Review of Targeted, Immunological, and Physical Treatment Strategies

Glioblastoma is a group of highly heterogeneous abnormal tissue formations arising in the cerebral hemisphere. It stands as one of the cruelest and most aggressive brain tumors in adults, classified as a grade IV malignancy by the World Health Organization (WHO). Despite the wide range of advanced technologies & multimodality treatment employed to treat malignancies, the prognosis for patients with glioblastoma remains devastating; with a median survival ranging from 10 to 20 months with intensive therapy. Yet, in the face of these grim statistics, the past 15 years have witnessed remarkable progress in societies' understanding of glioblastoma's molecular landscape has increased tremendously. First, the article will discuss the overall landscape of glioblastoma, including its tumor microenvironment conditions, and it is severity compared to other categories of cancer prognosis. Then, investigate into the depths different treatments attempted in glioblastoma treatments, including targeting therapies, such as EGFR receptors, or CAR-T cell therapy. Then finally engaging into the multitudes of the new innovative physical modalities, such as the Gamma Knife radio surgery (GKRS), proton beam therapy (PBT), and Tumor Treating fields. While challenges such as tumor heterogeneity, antigen escape, and treatment resistance persist, the advancements made brought us a step closer to full remission.