Targeting adaptive glioblastoma: an overview of proliferation and invasion

Glioblastoma is one of the most devastating cancers, in which tumor cell infiltration into surrounding normal brain tissue confounds clinical management. This review describes basic and translational research into glioma proliferation and invasion, in particular the phenotypic switch underlying a stochastic “go or grow” model of tumor cell behavior. We include recent progress in system genomics, cancer stem cell theory, and tumor–microenvironment interaction, from which novel therapeutic strategies may emerge for managing this malignant disease. We suggest that an effective therapeutic strategy should target both adaptive glioblastoma cells and the stroma–tumor interaction.