Role of nanobiotechnology in the personalized management of glioblastoma multiforme.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most malignant and most frequent primary brain tumor, is currently incurable, with a median sur­ vival of less than 2 years after diagnosis and treat­ ment. Worldwide, approximately 175,000 cases occur annually, of which 17,000 are diagnosed in the USA. Several innovative treatments are being developed, but the mainstays of conven­ tional treatment are chemotherapy and radia­ tion. Chemotherapy gives inconsistent results in terms of prolongation of survival. GBM is a complex, heterogeneous disease, which makes it unlikely that a uniform approach would be suitable for all patients. Treatment of GBM is one of the most challenging problems in neuro­ oncology, with several controversies as to the best way of dealing with this problem. There is a need for the use of refined tools of nanobiotechnol­ ogy for targeted delivery of therapeutics to brain tumors [1].