HOX and PBX gene dysregulation as a therapeutic target in glioblastoma multiforme.

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common high-grade malignant brain tumour in adults and arises from the glial cells in the brain. The prognosis of treated GBM remains very poor with 5-year survival rates of 5%, a figure which has not improved over the last few decades. Currently, there is a modest 14-month overall median survival in patients undergoing maximum safe resection plus adjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Analysis of pre-treatment markers predictive of treatment benefit for the therapeutic cancer vaccine MVA-5T4 (TroVax).

Cancer vaccines such as MVA-5T4 (TroVax(®)) must induce an efficacious immune response to deliver therapeutic benefit. The identification of biomarkers that impact on the clinical and/or immunological efficacy of cancer vaccines is required in order to select patients who are most likely to benefit from this treatment modality. Here, we sought to identify a predictor of treatment benefit for renal cancer patients treated with MVA-5T4.