February 2021 Issue of Neurosurgical Focus: “Gene and Viral Therapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme”

Charlottesville, VA (February 1, 2021). The February issue of Neurosurgical Focus (Vol. 50, No. 2 [https://thejns.org/focus/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/50/2/neurosurg-focus.50.issue-2.xml]) examines the use of viral vecto­r–mediated gene therapy and oncolytic viruses in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

According to the topic editors, E. Antonio Chiocca, Frederick F. Lang, and James M. Markert,

“The mode of action of this therapy depends on expression of genes (be it from gene therapy or viral genes from an oncolytic virus) in the GBM microenvironment to cause cytotoxic and immunogenic cell death, leading to an adaptive immune response against tumor. The reports in this issue encompass a snapshot of the field: approaches such as oncolytic herpes simplex virus 1–mediated delivery, oncolytic adenovirus, oncolytic Newcastle disease virus, and oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus. The strategies discussed in these papers represent a few of the many approaches for GBM that are being tested, some in clinical trials. Novel delivery methods (such as intra-arterial delivery) are also discussed. To provide the reader with an appreciation of the plethora of approaches currently under investigation, several review articles on the topic are also included.”

Contents of the February issue:

• “Introduction. Gene and viral therapy for glioblastoma multiforme” by E. Antonio Chiocca et al.

• “Viral therapies for glioblastoma and high-grade gliomas in adults: a systematic review” by Joshua L. Wang et al.

• “Clinical trials using oncolytic viral therapy to treat adult glioblastoma: a progress report” by Victor M. Lu et al.

• “Using viral vectors to deliver local immunotherapy to glioblastoma” by Alexander F. Haddad et al.

• “Safety and interim survival data after intracranial administration of M032, a genetically engineered oncolytic HSV-1 expressing IL-12, in pet dogs with sporadic gliomas” by Nidal B. Omar et al.

• “Delta-24 adenoviral therapy for glioblastoma: evolution from the bench to bedside and future considerations” by Chibawanye I. Ene et al.

• “Intraarterial delivery of virotherapy for glioblastoma” by Visish M. Srinivasan et al.

• “The oncolytic Newcastle disease virus as an effective immunotherapeutic strategy against glioblastoma” by Joshua A. Cuoco et al.

• “Inhibition of glioma using a novel non-neurotoxic vesicular stomatitis virus” by Bin Jiang et al.

• “Synthetic and systems biology principles in the design of programmable oncolytic virus immunotherapies for glioblastoma” by Dileep D. Monie et al.

Please join us in reading this month’s issue of Neurosurgical Focus.

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For additional information, please contact Ms. Jo Ann M. Eliason, Communications Manager, Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group, One Morton Drive, Suite 200, Charlottesville, VA 22903; Email: [email protected] Phone 434-982-1209.

Neurosurgical Focus, an online-only, monthly, peer-reviewed journal, covers a different neurosurgery-related topic in depth each month and is available free to all readers at http://www.thejns.org. Enhanced by color images and video clips, each issue constitutes a state-of-the-art “textbook chapter” in the field of neurosurgery. Neurosurgical Focus is one of six journals published by the JNS Publishing Group, the scholarly journal division of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Other peer-reviewed journals published by the JNS Publishing Group each month include Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Neurosurgical Focus: Video, and Journal of Neurosurgery: Case Lessons. All six journals can be accessed at www.thejns.org.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 10,000 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada, or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the brain, spinal column, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.