Connectome-Preserving Glioma Resection and Immunotherapy: Synergistic Strategies

Gliomas remain among the most challenging malignancies in neuro-oncology due to their infiltrative growth, functional eloquence, and profound intratumoral heterogeneity. Advances in connectomics, functional neuroimaging, and awake mapping have shifted surgical paradigms from purely anatomical resection toward preservation of large-scale brain networks critical for cognition and quality of life. In parallel, immune-based therapies, including vaccines, cellular therapies, viral vectors, and checkpoint modulation, have expanded rapidly, yet with limited durable success in glioma. Increasing evidence suggests that the biological and immunological consequences of surgery, including extent and pattern of resection, may directly influence immune responsiveness. Understanding how connectome-preserving surgical strategies interact with tumor biology and host immunity is therefore essential to optimize combined multimodal treatment approaches.The goal of this Research Topic is to address the emerging interface between connectome-oriented glioma surgery and immune-based therapies, focusing on how synergistic integration of these approaches may improve oncological control while preserving neurological function. While maximal safe resection remains a cornerstone of glioma management, recent advances emphasize the importance of network-level preservation rather than focal eloquence alone. Concurrently, immunotherapeutic strategies continue to face barriers related to tumor heterogeneity, immune escape, and the immunosuppressive brain microenvironment. This Research Topic aims to explore how surgical modulation of tumor burden, spatial heterogeneity, and peritumoral networks may enhance immunotherapy efficacy, improve antigen exposure, and reduce treatment-related morbidity. Contributions addressing mechanistic insights, clinical outcomes, imaging biomarkers, and translational strategies are particularly encouraged, with the objective of defining rational, biology-driven combinations of surgery and immunotherapy.This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, clinical studies, translational investigations, and high-quality reviews addressing the integration of connectome-preserving glioma surgery with immune-based therapies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: connectomics-guided resection strategies; awake and functional mapping techniques; neuroplasticity and network reorganization; surgical impact on tumor immunogenicity; timing and sequencing of surgery and immunotherapy; imaging and molecular biomarkers predicting response; and functional, cognitive, and survival outcomes. Both adult and pediatric glioma studies are welcome. Submissions bridging neurosurgery, neuroimmunology, neuroimaging, and systems neuroscience are particularly encouraged. All contributions should emphasize novelty, methodological rigor, and translational relevance to contemporary neuro-oncology practice.Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analyses of public databases, or purely retrospective computational predictions without independent clinical/patient cohort validation or biological validation, are not suitable for this Research Topic. Additionally, manuscripts focused primarily on general clinical informatics/registries or perioperative protocols without a direct intraoperative imaging/visualization/guidance component are outside the main focus of this collection. Topic editors: Tomasz Tykocki, Steven Brem Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80654/connectome-preserving-glioma-resection-and-immunotherapy-synergistic-strategies