Mesenchymal stem cells: a trojan horse to treat glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary tumor of the central nervous system. What makes it so dreadful is the very low survival rate, despite the existence of a standard treatment plan. An innovative and more effective way to treat glioblastoma based on Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) has been explored recently. MSCs are a group of endogenous multipotent stem cells that could mainly be harvested from adipose tissue, bone marrow, and umbilical cord. Having the ability to migrate toward the tumor using multiple types of binding receptors, they could be used either as a direct treatment (whether they are enhanced or not) or as a delivery vehicle carrying various anti-tumoral agents. Some of these agents are: chemotherapy drugs, prodrug activating therapy, oncolytic viruses, nanoparticles, human artificial chromosome horizontal ellipsis Promising results have started to surface; however, more evidence is needed to perfect their use as a glioblastoma multiforme treatment option.

Automated summary

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a deadly primary tumor of the central nervous system with a low survival rate, despite a standard treatment plan. Recent exploration of innovative and more effective treatments based on Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) shows promising results. MSCs, harvested from adipose tissue, bone marrow, and umbilical cord, can migrate towards tumors and be used for direct treatment or as delivery vehicles for anti-tumoral agents.