Dendritic cells and glioblastoma

Gliomas are the most diagnosed primary intracranial malignancies in adults. Currently available treatments have provided only modest improvements in overall survival and remain limited by inevitable local recurrence, necessitating the exploration of novel therapies. Among approaches being investigated, one of the leading contenders is immunotherapy, which aims to modulate immune pathways to stimulate the selective destruction of malignant cells. Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent initiators of adaptive immune responses and, therefore, crucial players in the development and success of immunotherapy. Clinical trials of various DC-based vaccinations have demonstrated the induction of antitumor immune responses and prolonged survival in the setting of many cancers. This chapter reviews the current literature regarding DCs and their role in the tumor microenvironment, their application and current clinical use in malignant glioma immunotherapy, and future avenues for developing successful antitumor DC-based vaccines.