Because they target and track deadly brain tumor cells – even those that migrate within the brain – neural stem cells appear to be effective “delivery systems” to transport cancer-killing gene and immune products. But not all neural stem cells take on this tracking role. Now researchers at Cedars-Sinai’s Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute, using mouse and human cells, have defined a subset of neural stem cells that have this tumor-tracking potential. They also have identified a biochemical mechanism that appears to govern the homing behavior. Their results appear in the May/June issue of the journal Neoplasia. The prognosis for patients with malignant brain tumors called gliomas is extremely poor. Those with glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive of the gliomas, usually have a life expectancy of only months from the time of diagnosis. Survival for two years is extremely rare, even with aggressive treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy have only minimal impact, and because gliomas have poorly defined borders, with glioma cells intermingling with healthy brain tissue, complete surgical removal is nearly impossible. Furthermore, cancer cells migrate away from the main tumor to form satellites that often escape treatment and lead to recurrence.
