Graphene as a promising multifunctional nanoplatform for glioblastoma theranostic applications

Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is one of the most incurable invasive and malignant cancers of the central nervous system. The lifespan of the patients from the diagnosis is less than 15 months due to the lack of an effective treatment strategy to eliminate it. The potential of nanotechnology to revolutionize the strategies to fight against cancer has led researchers to use this paradigm for drug development. Despite promising reports on the potential of graphene in drug delivery, diagnostic and therapeutic applications, there is no comprehensive review of the potential theranostic applications of graphene on GBM. For example, embryonic and neural stem cells tend to differentiate to neurons compared to glial cells on a graphene surface. This potential shows two faces of the graphene medal as a suitable candidate in the diminishing of GBM along with the enhancement of neurogenesis in the tumor site. In this review, we have discussed the recent discoveries on GBM etiology and graphene characteristics. We have also highlighted the cell signaling mechanisms which are triggered by graphene in glioblastoma cells as well as the effectiveness of graphene in diagnosis, treatment, and theranostics applications for GBM. Finally, we have shown the state-of-the-art and promising perspective of graphene in GBM diagnosis and therapy.