Dead tissue inside brain tumors may be driven by immune cells
Original title: Tumor Associated Neutrophils Extend NETs To Spatially Drive Necroptosis In Glioblastoma
How far along is this research?
This is a preprint. Other scientists have not checked it yet, so treat it as an early signal rather than an answer.
The treatment part was only tested in mice and lab samples.
The short version
A study suggests immune cells help brain tumors destroy their own tissue.
What was studied. Researchers looked at brain scans and gene data from 3,639 people with glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4. Grade 4 is the highest grade there is. The tumor grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, and then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. They also studied tumor tissue and mice bred to carry the same gene changes.
What they found. Tumors with more dead tissue were linked to shorter survival. Changes in three genes seemed to drive that pattern. The dead areas pulled in white blood cells, and those cells helped even more tumor tissue die.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: The amount of dead tissue on a scan may help doctors judge risk. The study also points to possible new drug targets. Anti-inflammatory drugs broke this cycle in lab and mouse tests.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a treatment you can ask for today. The drug part was tested only in mice and lab samples. No one has shown it helps people live longer. It is early science, not a cure, and it is far from everyday care.
Source: medRxiv (preprint), October 28, 2026 · Read the original
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