Advances in drug delivery technology for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a particularly aggressive and malignant type of brain tumor, notorious for its high recurrence rate and low survival rate. The treatment of GBM is challenging mainly because several issues associated with the GBM microenvironment have not yet been resolved. These obstacles originate from a variety of factors such as genetics, anatomy, and cytology, all of which collectively hinder the treatment of GBM. Recent advances in materials and device engineering have presented new perspectives with regard to unconventional drug administration methods for GBM treatment. Such novel drug delivery approaches, based on the clear understanding of the intrinsic properties of GBM, have shown promise in overcoming some of the obstacles. In this review, we first recapitulate the first-line therapy and clinical challenges in the current treatment of GBM. Afterwards, we introduce the latest technological advances in drug delivery strategies to improve the efficiency for GBM treatment, mainly focusing on materials and devices. We describe such efforts by classifying them into two categories, systemic and local drug delivery. Finally, we discuss unmet challenges and prospects for the clinical translation of these drug delivery technologies.

Keywords: Biodegradable implant; Blood-brain barrier; Brain tumor; Drug delivery device; Local drug delivery; Systemic drug delivery.