Dendritic Cell Vaccine With Imiquimod for Patients With Malignant Glioma

Malignant gliomas are very aggressive and among the most common of brain tumors. A diagnosis carries with it a median survival of approximately 24 months. The current standard treatment of surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy has not substantially prolonged survival and even the few treatment options shown to exhibit small increases in survival primarily benefit certain (i.e., young) patient subpopulations. Cancer vaccines represent one novel therapy for malignant gliomas. The goal is for the body to recognize the tumor cells are foreign and produce its own response to fight off recurring tumor cells. A promising means of causing an immune response so the body can create this immunity is through the use of dendritic cell (DC) vaccines.