Propofol as new treatment for glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain cancer. Glioblastoma cells divide rapidly, creating a solid tumor that invades the surrounding tissue. One of the main challenges in developing therapy for glioblastoma is the tumor content of cancer stem cells, which are not easily affected by standard treatment. As a result, glioblastoma patients frequently suffer recurrence of the tumor at its primary location. In an article published in Cells, Prof. Chaya Brody and her group describe the potential of propofol, a commonly used surgical anesthetic, as a new treatment for glioblastoma. According to epidemiological studies, the use of propofol during resection is associated with better prognosis. Here, the researchers show that propofol presents anti-tumorigenic effect through inhibition of the pro-cancer properties of the microglia, the immune cells of the brain. Moreover, propofol is shown to be effective on both solid tumors and cancer stem cells, while leaving normal neural cells unharmed.