Glioma is a highly invasive, rapidly spreading form of brain cancer that is resistant to surgical and medical treatment. The recent progresses made in intracellular and ion channels of glioma cells provide a potential new approach for biochemical therapy of brain tumor. In this paper, we reviewed clinical data on chemotherapy by temozolomide and results from new studies on voltage-gated potassium channels, large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels, volume-activated chloride channels, glioma-specific chloride channel and their modulators. These new findings may represent future directions for brain tumor studies and treatment. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.