Cancer in the nervous system articles from across Nature Portfolio

ASCL1 and OLIG2 are two basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors that are highly co-expressed in glioblastoma (GBM). Here the authors find these two transcription factors function redundantly and are required for brain tumor initiation in a mouse model of GBM, while they possess inverse roles in determining tumor cell types and cell migration ability.

Yu and colleagues present a single-cell transcriptomic landscape of olfactory neuroblastoma, characterizing different tumor subtypes and cancer cell responses to drug treatments.

Observation of glioblastoma invasion in subcortical brain regions is challenging. Here the authors develop a Deep3P workflow to enable longitudinal deep imaging of glioblastoma and its microenvironment by combining three-photon microscopy and deep learning-based analysis, unraveling the invasion routes of these tumor cells into and within the white matter.

Mood dysfunction is more common in people with brain tumors than in those with other tumor types, but the reasons for this association are unclear. Using various methods for lesion–symptom mapping, we identified brain locations in patients with diffuse glioma that are related to severe depressive symptoms or an absence of depressive symptoms.

Mutationally activated BRAF-V600E influences the behavior of different types of cells in the brain and leads to promotion of seizures as well as brain tumors, indicating how both can be pharmacologically targeted in the clinic.

Intratumoral infusion of a nonpathogenic replication-competent recombinant polio-rhinovirus chimera (PVSRIPO) for recurrent glioblastoma demonstrates safety and promising preliminary treatment responses.

Priego et al. show that a subpopulation of reactive astrocytes expressing signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is crucial for the development of brain metastases and report positive initial clinical data that inhibiting STAT3 can reduce metastasis.

Anti-GD2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells may be a new and innovative approach for the treatment of pediatric H3-K27M-mutant diffuse midline gliomas.