Immunotherapy is a treatment method for brain tumors that works by activating or suppressing the immune system. There are several types of immunotherapy including monoclonal antibody therapy, CAR T-cell therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, dendritic cell vaccines, and oncolytic viruses. Monoclonal antibodies target specific proteins on cancer cells to help the immune system find and kill them, while CAR T-cell therapy uses modified T cells to recognize and bind to tumor cells. Checkpoint inhibitors block proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells. Despite ongoing research, many immunotherapy techniques still face challenges in overcoming the blood-brain barrier and immunosuppressive environment of brain tumors.

1. Cancer immunotherapy for
brain tumors
Presented by: Muzammil Ahmad Qureshi

3. There are many brain related disorders that hinder its normal
functioning.

4. Brain Tumors
• Benign
• Malignant

5. Conventional treatment methods

6. Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is the treatment of
disease by activating or suppressing
the immune system.

7. Types of
immunotherapies
• Monoclonal antibody therapy
• CAR T-cell therapy
• Checkpoint Inhibitors
• Dendritic cell (DC) vaccine
• Oncolytic viruses

8. Monoclonal antibody therapy
Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made antibodies, designed to kill cancer cells.
MABs work in different ways
• Block signals telling cancer cells to divide (GFR)
• Carry cancer drugs to cancer cells
• Help your immune system find and kill cancer cells

9. MABs recognize specific
proteins on cancer cells

10. CAR T-cell therapy
• CAR stands for chimeric antigen receptor.
• CARs are artificial immunological receptors that are synthesized to recognize certain
surface proteins on tumor cells.
• T cells bearing these receptors bind and kill cancer cells.
• Initial clinical trials with CAR T cells for brain tumors are targeting a limited set of
antigens: IL13Rα2, EGFR variant III (EGFRvIII), and HER2.

11. Development of CAR T-cells

12. Checkpoint Inhibitors
Checkpoint inhibitors are a type Of
immunotherapy that block proteins
that stop the immune system from
attacking the cancer cells.

13. Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccine
• DCs are removed from the patient, cultivated while exposed to tumor particular
antigens, and then reintroduced into the patient.
• These antigen loaded DC then carryout the activation of T cells to kill cancer cells.

14. Oncolytic viruses
• Oncolytic viruses (OVs) undergo genetic modification to selectively target and
destroy cancer cells.
• Viruses can be used as vectors to deliver tumor antigens.
• In preclinical models of glioma, modified herpes simplex virus (HSV) has been
thoroughly studied and shown to be effective against glioma cells.

15. Side effects of Immunotherapy
• Cough
• Rash
• Nausea
• Pain in muscles, bones, joints
• Constipation
• Shortness of breath
• Decreased appetite

16. Challenges
• Many immunotherapy techniques are being investigated to treat brain tumors.
• Despite continued efforts over several decades to develop new therapies for
glioblastoma, none has appreciably improved how long patients live.
• All cancer therapies must overcome one very serious obstacle: the blood–brain
barrier.
• The other major hinderance is immunosuppressive nature of brain tumors.
• Brain tumors release immunosuppressive cytokines including TGF-B,
prostaglandin E2, and other immunosuppressive cytokines.