TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffuse glioma growth
T2 - A guerilla war
AU - Claes, An
AU - Idema, Albert J.
AU - Wesseling, Pieter
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We would like to thank Dr Mathé Prick, Department of Neurology, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands for providing the images of patients illustrating radiological aspects of glioma growth, and Sandra Boots-Sprenger, Department of Neurology and Radiology, RUNMC, for her excellent support in creating Figs. 1 and 3. AC and PW are supported by Dutch Cancer Society grant KUN 2003-2975. AJI is supported by EU the 6th framework grant LSH-2002-2.2.0-5 (eTUMOUR).
PY - 2007/11
Y1 - 2007/11
N2 - In contrast to almost all other brain tumors, diffuse gliomas infiltrate extensively in the neuropil. This growth pattern is a major factor in therapeutic failure. Diffuse infiltrative glioma cells show some similarities with guerilla warriors. Histopathologically, the tumor cells tend to invade individually or in small groups in between the dense network of neuronal and glial cell processes. Meanwhile, in large areas of diffuse gliomas the tumor cells abuse pre-existent "supply lines" for oxygen and nutrients rather than constructing their own. Radiological visualization of the invasive front of diffuse gliomas is difficult. Although the knowledge about migration of (tumor)cells is rapidly increasing, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying infiltration of glioma cells in the neuropil have not yet been elucidated. As the efficacy of conventional methods to fight diffuse infiltrative glioma cells is limited, a more targeted ("search & destroy") tactic may be needed for these tumors. Hopefully, the study of original human glioma tissue and of genotypically and phenotypically relevant glioma models will soon provide information about the Achilles heel of diffuse infiltrative glioma cells that can be used for more effective therapeutic strategies.
AB - In contrast to almost all other brain tumors, diffuse gliomas infiltrate extensively in the neuropil. This growth pattern is a major factor in therapeutic failure. Diffuse infiltrative glioma cells show some similarities with guerilla warriors. Histopathologically, the tumor cells tend to invade individually or in small groups in between the dense network of neuronal and glial cell processes. Meanwhile, in large areas of diffuse gliomas the tumor cells abuse pre-existent "supply lines" for oxygen and nutrients rather than constructing their own. Radiological visualization of the invasive front of diffuse gliomas is difficult. Although the knowledge about migration of (tumor)cells is rapidly increasing, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying infiltration of glioma cells in the neuropil have not yet been elucidated. As the efficacy of conventional methods to fight diffuse infiltrative glioma cells is limited, a more targeted ("search & destroy") tactic may be needed for these tumors. Hopefully, the study of original human glioma tissue and of genotypically and phenotypically relevant glioma models will soon provide information about the Achilles heel of diffuse infiltrative glioma cells that can be used for more effective therapeutic strategies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34948892058&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00401-007-0293-7
DO - 10.1007/s00401-007-0293-7
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17805551
AN - SCOPUS:34948892058
SN - 0001-6322
VL - 114
SP - 443
EP - 458
JO - Acta Neuropathologica
JF - Acta Neuropathologica
IS - 5
ER -