Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Growth Factors in Gliomas Revisited

  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

¶ Overexpression or untimely expression of wild-type or mutated protein growth factors and their receptors is associated with the biology of malignant gliomas and other types of cancer. It may result in unchecked tumour cell proliferation, migration/invasion into normal tissue, tumour angiogenesis, escape from immune surveillance, and decreased apoptotic cell death, i.e. after treatment with cytotoxic agents. This often involves activation of growth factor receptors either by simultaneous production of growth factors and corresponding receptors on the same or adjacent tumour cells or by constitutive receptor activation due to mutations. In several instances, the cellular genes encoding these growth factors and receptors are homologous to transforming genes/oncogenes from tumourigenic retroviruses and have thus been regarded as cellular proto-oncogenes. In recent years much progress has been made towards a better understanding of the function of these molecules and how they lead to the aggressive phenotype of malignant gliomas and its inherent resistance to adjuvant therapies. This, still insufficient, knowledge is a prerequisite for the development of novel therapies for this non-curable disease. The aim of this review is to address relevant growth factor receptor systems with emphasis on their particular role in glioma biology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hamel, W., Westphal, M. Growth Factors in Gliomas Revisited. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 142, 113–138 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007010050015

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007010050015

Navigation