Editing Cytoprotective Autophagy in Glioma: An Unfulfilled Potential for Therapy

Glioblastoma (GBM) resistance to the standard of care is prompting scientists to develop better targeted therapeutic strategies. Autophagy is one of the many signaling mechanisms that regulate tumor regrowth. Despite the extensive in vitro and in vivo studies published, knowledge on autophagic modulation remains scarce. This hinders the development of novel treatment modalities that employ autophagic mechanisms for the clinical benefit of patients with GBM. Clinical trials for GBM continue to fall short of showing significant survival or clinical benefit, with the complex glioma heterogeneity often being the reason to blame. Here, we propose that a combination therapy of current antiglioma regimens and autophagic mediators or suppressors can allow us to overcome GBM regrowth in the context of tumor heterogeneity.