Multiple myeloma is a heterogeneous condition characterized by the proliferation of monoclonal B-cells, for which there is currently no curative treatment available. Relapses are, unfortunately, common after first-line treatment. While the prognosis for relapsed refractory multiple myeloma is generally poor, advances in the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma offer hope. However, the expansion of effective options in targeted treatment offers renewed optimism and hope that patients who fail on older therapies may respond to newer modalities, which are often used in combination. We review currently approved and novel investigational agents classified by mechanisms of action, efficacy, approved setting, and adverse events. We delve into future directions of treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, reviewing novel agents and therapeutic targets for the future.

Glioblastoma is associated with a dismal prognosis with the standard of care involving surgery, radiation therapy and temozolomide chemotherapy. This review investigates the features that make glioblastoma difficult to treat and the results of glioblastoma immunotherapy clinical trials so far. There have been over a hundred clinical trials involving immunotherapy in glioblastoma. We report the survival-related outcomes of every Phase III glioblastoma immunotherapy trial with online published results we could find at the time of writing. To date, the DCVax-L vaccine is the only immunotherapy shown to have statistically significant increased median survival compared with standard-of-care in a Phase III trial: 19.3 months versus 16.5 months. However, this trial used an external control group to compare with the intervention which limits its quality of evidence. In conclusion, glioblastoma immunotherapy requires further investigation to determine its significance in improving disease survival.