New research reveals glioblastoma erodes the skull and alters immune cells, showing the cancer is systemic. Findings may lead to therapies targeting both brain and bone for improved treatment outcomes.
Glioblastoma Breaches the Skull and Manipulates the Immune System
Scientists have discovered that glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer, doesn’t just affect the brain—it can erode the skull and hijack the body’s immune system. This groundbreaking study from Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine shows that glioblastoma opens tiny channels between the skull’s marrow and the brain, allowing inflammatory immune cells to fuel tumor growth.
Bone-Protecting Drugs May Backfire, Highlighting Need for Targeted Therapies
Advanced imaging in mice and CT scans in patients revealed that glioblastoma selectively erodes skull bones, especially along sutures, and reshapes the immune cell balance within the skull marrow. The study found a surge in pro-inflammatory cells like neutrophils, while key antibody-producing B cells almost disappeared.
“This discovery may explain why current glioblastoma treatments, which focus only on the brain, often fail,” said Dr. Jinan Behnan, assistant professor at Einstein and corresponding author of the study published in Nature Neuroscience.
Interestingly, anti-osteoporosis drugs designed to prevent bone loss were found to stop skull erosion but, in some cases, made the tumor more aggressive or interfered with immunotherapy drugs that help the body fight cancer. This suggests a delicate balance is needed when targeting both bone and tumor.
The study reframes glioblastoma as a systemic disease, not just a local brain disorder, opening avenues for therapies that target both brain and bone immune systems.