Role of astrogliosis in the recurrence of brain tumors after microsurgical resection

Malignant primary and secondary brain tumors represent the deadliest types of human cancer. Glioblastoma is the most common and the most lethal primary brain tumor.

Standard of care is based on maximal surgical safe resection, followed by fractionated radiotherapy, with concomitant and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy. Despite optimal treatment, the recurrence rate is higher than 90%.

On the other hand, brain metastases (secondary brain tumors from distant organs) remain a substantial contributor to overall cancer mortality, being the main cause of death in up to 50% of affected patients.

Research on the resistance to chemo and radiotherapy has been widely performed; however, studies on the impact of surgery on the cellular biological phenotype have been curiously neglected even if the standard of care requires that all patients receive surgical resection if possible. The contribution of the neuroinflammation to cancer progression is extensively studied.

However its role after surgical injury remains to be elucidated.

Therefore, we aim to mechanistically decipher the role of reactive astrocytes (key regulators of neuroinflammation) on the post-surgery recurrence of primary and secondary brain tumors.

We will use intravital microscopy, digital pathology, genetic and pharmacological selective targeting of reactive astrocytes and ultimately, we will evaluate novel therapeutic approaches to improve clinical benefit.