Browsing by Subject "glioblastooma"

Glioblastoma (GB) and brain metastases (BM) from peripheral tumors account for the most cases of tumors in the central nervous system (CNS) while also being the deadliest. On a structural point of view, malignant brain tumors are classically characterized by hypercellularity of gliomal and vascular endothelial cells. Given these atypical histological features, GB and BM have been long considered as “foreign” entities with only few to no connections to the brain parenchyma. The identification of intricate connections established between the GB cells and the brain parenchyma and the ability of peripheral metastatic cells to form functional synapses with neurons, altogether challenged the concept of brain tumors disconnected from the CNS. This review encompasses the recent discoveries on the mechanisms underlying these relationships, discusses the impact of these connections on tumor progression and summarizes the therapeutic opportunities of interrupting the dialogue between the healthy and neoplastic brains.