Study identifies potential biomarker for treatment response in glioblastoma
MD Anderson Research Highlight May 01, 2025
Glioblastoma, the most common type of central nervous system tumor, is generally resistant to immune checkpoint blockade, highlighting a need to uncover potential features that can predict treatment response. In this Phase I/II trial, researchers led by , enrolled 60 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining the immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab with the chemotherapy temozolomide and radiation therapy, followed by atezolizumab and temozolomide. While the combination demonstrated comparable overall survival (OS) results relative to existing treatments, the researchers discovered distinct immune-based tumor characteristics associated with longer survival. Patients with an aggressive, mesenchymal subtype of glioblastoma were associated with higher immune activity. Additionally, specific gut bacteria were associated with better immune responses and OS, suggesting that the microbiome can influence treatment efficacy. These findings suggest that immune enrichment could serve as a predictive biomarker for treatment response in patients with glioblastoma. Learn more in .
These correlative findings inspire hope that immune checkpoint blockade may play a role as an effective treatment for select patients with glioblastoma. We look forward to further exploration of these initial insights.