Nanotechnology and the New Frontiers of Drug Delivery in Cerebral Gliomas

Gliomas amount to about 45% of all primary CNS tumors and 77% of all malignant primary CNS tumors. It is now generally accepted that the modulation of gene expression may be the most effective modality to control specific genes functions correlated to gliomas develop and progression. However, the efficacy of current multimodal therapeutic strategies in gliomas is limited by the lack of specific therapies against malignant cells, and the prognosis in patients affected by primary brain tumors is still very unfavorable. Current pharmacological treatments for brain tumors are also limited by the presence of the blood-brain barrier as natural obstacle to overcome. Thus, therapies for brain tumors are still limited up to date. Nanotechnology offers a way to bypass in a non-invasive manner the barrier delivering specific therapeutic compounds. Moreover, nanoparticles drug delivery systems can improve bioavailability and sustain release of drugs for systemic delivery. Interestingly, multi-functional nanoplatforms provide multiple functions in a single compound. These innovative compounds are able to deliver drugs in the optimal dose range, which results in augmented therapeutic efficacy and minimal side effects. In this chapter we will focus on the different types of nanoparticle compounds studied for the treatment of brain tumors. Finally, we will report various preclinical and/or clinical studies in brain tumor treatment.