Gliomas are brain tumors that arise from glial support cells, and they range from slow-growing low-grade tumors to the highly aggressive glioblastoma. Prognosis varies widely by grade and molecular subtype, and molecular profiling now guides both diagnosis and treatment decisions.
What's actually going on in research
IDH-mutant gliomas — the lower-grade and more survivable subtypes — now have a targeted oral treatment after vorasidenib showed it could delay progression in trials. For glioblastoma, immunotherapy combinations, tumor-treating fields devices, and EGFR-targeted approaches are in large trials, though this remains one of the hardest tumor types to treat. The ability of therapies to cross the blood-brain barrier remains a fundamental challenge, driving research into novel delivery methods.
IDH inhibitors
Vorasidenib, the first oral IDH1/2 inhibitor for diffuse glioma, showed it delayed progression in grade 2 IDH-mutant glioma. Trials are now testing it earlier and in combinations.
Tumor-treating fields
Wearable devices that deliver low-intensity electric fields to the scalp are being combined with immunotherapy and chemotherapy in trials for glioblastoma and other high-grade gliomas.
EGFR-targeted therapy
Several antibody and small-molecule approaches targeting EGFR amplification and mutations common in glioblastoma are in trials, aiming to reach and kill cells that survive surgery and radiation.
What to know before you search
Eligibility depends on glioma grade, IDH mutation status, MGMT promoter methylation, EGFR status, prior treatment, and performance status.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing new drug combinations, targeted therapies, or immunotherapy in newly diagnosed or recurrent glioma.
- Device trials — Evaluating tumor-treating fields devices and their combinations with systemic therapy.
- Surgical trials — Testing extent-of-resection strategies, fluorescence-guided surgery, and laser ablation techniques.
- Radiation trials — Comparing radiation doses, fractionation schedules, and radiosensitizing agents.
- Biomarker trials — Identifying molecular features like IDH, MGMT, and 1p/19q status that predict treatment response.
Recently added Glioma trials
PET-Guided Resection in High-Grade Gliomas
Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, with a poor prognosis despite maximal treatment. Current evidence suggests that supramaximal resection, including non-enhancing FLAIR-hyperintense regions, improves survival. However, the extent of FLAIR resection is often limited by functional constraints and its non-specific nature, as it may represent both tumor infiltration and peritumoral edema. This study explores the role of 18F-DOPA PET in refining supramaximal resection by providing a more specific surgical target beyond contrast-enhancing areas. Objective: To evaluate the impact of 18F-DOPA PET-guided resection on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in GBM patients, by comparing outcomes between those undergoing PET-RM integrated resection versus conventional MRI-guided resection. Methods: ResPGlioma is a multicenter, prospective, non-randomized study conducted at IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino (Genoa) and AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza (Turin). Patients with newly diagnosed, supratentorial, high-grade gliomas undergo preoperative 18F-DOPA PET and MRI. Surgery follows the principle of maximal safe resection, with postoperative MRI at 48 hours assessing the extent of resection (EOR). To confirm PET resection or non-PET resection status, patients will undergo a postoperative 18F-DOPA PET scan at 30 ± 7 days following surgery, prior to the initiation of chemoradiotherapy. Patients are categorized based on EOR criteria (RANO) and PET volume resection (PET-resection vs. PET non-resection). Statistical analyses include Kaplan-Meier survival curves and regression models to identify prognostic factors.Patients are categorized based on EOR criteria (RANO) and PET volume resection (PET-resection vs. PET non-resection). Statistical analyses include Kaplan-Meier survival curves and regression models to identify prognostic factors. Expected Outcomes: The authors hypothesize that PET-guided resection improves PFS and OS by enabling a more precise tumor removal beyond contrast-enhancing margins while preserving neurological function. Preliminary data support that PET hypercaptant areas contain viable tumor cells and should be resected. This approach may offer a more accessible yet effective alternative to FLAIR-guided supramaximal resection.
First-in Cancer-Type Phase I Study of FT536 for Recurrent WHO Grade 4 Astrocytoma
This is a single center, first-in cancer-type phase I clinical trial of FT536 for adult patients with recurrent WHO Grade 4 astrocytoma, irrespective of IDH-mutational status, for which a standard of care repeat craniotomy for gross tumor resection at time of first or second recurrence is achievable. Per this treatment schema, FT536 will be administered once intratumorally
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