Neurooncology
Neurooncology is the study of brain, spinal cord neoplasms and peripheral nerves.
Extent of resection is believed to be a key prognostic factor in neuro-oncology.
It remains a challenge in oncology to identify novel drug regimens to efficiently tackle glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumor in adults.
Developments in modern oncological neurosurgery led to a shift from a strictly anatomic structural point of view to a more functional holistic model. Therefore, a distinctive and precise knowledge of the complexity of the brain and an integral three-dimensional idea of its structures are mandatory.
Transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) can noninvasively transmit acoustic energy with a high degree of accuracy and safety to targets and regions within the brain. Technological advances, including phased-array transducers and real-time temperature monitoring with magnetic resonance thermometry, have created new opportunities for FUS research and clinical translation. Neurooncology, in particular, has become a major area of interest because FUS offers a multifaceted approach to the treatment of brain tumors. FUS has the potential to generate cytotoxicity within tumor tissue, both directly via thermal ablation and indirectly through radiosensitization and sonodynamic therapy; to enhance the delivery of therapeutic agents to brain tumors by transiently opening the blood-brain barrier or improving distribution through the brain extracellular space; and to modulate the tumor microenvironment to generate an immune response. In this review, we describe each of these applications for FUS, the proposed mechanisms of action, and the preclinical and clinical studies that have set the foundation for using FUS in neuro-oncology 1).
Neoplasms
Classification
World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System
Journals
Neuro-Oncology http://neuro-oncology.oxfordjournals.org
Journal of Neuro-Oncology http://www.springer.com/medicine/oncology/journal/11060
Society
European Association of NeuroOncology
Neuroimaging
see neuroimaging
Research
Research focus has shifted in the last decades towards the exploration of tumor infiltration by a variety of immune cells and their products. T cells, macrophages, B cells, and mast cells.
In neurooncology, the biology of neural stem cells (NSCs) has been pursued in two ways: as tumor initiating cells (TICs) and as a potential cell-based vehicle for gene therapy.
Books
Neuro-Oncology: The Essentials
Neuro-Oncology: The Essentials, Third Edition, is a comprehensive introduction to the fundamental science and core clinical concepts behind the successful multidisciplinary management of patients with brain and spine tumors. Among the updates to this new edition are eight new chapter topics, including: Endoscopic Approaches, Pediatric Supratentorial Tumors, and Neuro-Oncology in the Developing World. The book begins with basic science, progresses to clinical applications, and includes a robust section on specific tumor types.
Key Features:
A major revision, with a 20% increase in content and over 35% increase in figures Editors Notes at the end of each chapter briefly summarize a topic, provide a historical perspective on a topic, add a current reference, or highlight salient points Demonstrates the latest surgical navigation techniques, including stereotaxy and intraoperative MRI, used to access hard-to-reach tumors This new edition is an invaluable reference for all neurosurgeons, neurologists, and oncologists, as well as residents and fellows, and it will be a treasured volume in their medical libraries for years to come.
Handbook of Neuro-Oncology Neuroimaging, Second Edition
Remarkable progress in neuro-oncology due to increased utilization of advanced imaging in clinical practice continues to accelerate in recent years. Refinements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) technology, and the addition of newer anatomical, functional, and metabolic imaging methods, such as MRS, fMRI, diffusion MRI, and DTI MRI have allowed brain tumor patients to be diagnosed much earlier and to be followed more carefully during treatment. With treatment approaches and the field of neuro-oncology neuroimaging changing rapidly, this second edition of the Handbook of Neuro-Oncology Neuroimaging is so relevant to those in the field, providing a single-source, comprehensive, reference handbook of the most up-to-date clinical and technical information regarding the application of neuro-Imaging techniques to brain tumor and neuro-oncology patients. This new volume will have updates on all of the material from the first edition, and in addition will feature several new important chapters covering diverse topics such as advanced imaging techniques in radiation therapy, therapeutic treatment fields, response assessment in clinical trials, surgical planning of neoplastic disease of the spine, and more. It will also serve as a resource of background information to neuroimaging researchers and basic scientists with an interest in brain tumors and neuro-oncology.
Provides a background to translational research and the use of brain imaging for brain tumors
Contains critical discussions on the potential and limitations of neuroimaging as a translational tool for the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumor and neuro-oncology patients
Presents an up-to-date reference on advanced imaging technologies, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET), as well as the recent refinements in these techniques
Principles & Practice of Neuro-oncology: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Neuro-oncologic (brain and spine) cancers account for 19,000 new cases and 13,000 deaths per year. The early and proper diagnosis of these virulent cancers is critical to patient outcomes and diagnosis and treatment strategies are continually evolving. The multidisciplinary team that manages these patients involves medical radiation oncology, neurosurgery, molecular biology, neuroimaging, nurses and therapists. Principles and Practices of Neuro-Oncology establishes a new gold standard in care through a comprehensive, multidisciplinary text covering all aspects of neuro-oncology. Six major sections cover all topics related to epidemiology and etiology, clinical features and supportive care, imaging, neuroanatomy and neurosurgery, medical oncology and targeted therapies, and radiation oncology for adult and pediatric cancers. Expert contributors from multiple disciplines provide detailed and in-depth discussions of the the entire field of neuro-oncology including histopathologic harmonization, quality of life amd therapeutic changes in terms of combined modality treatments, the advent of new drugs, especially targeted agents, and the tantalizing early promise of personalized therapeutic approaches.
With contributions from over 180 authors, numerous diagrams, illustrations and tables, and a 48-page color plate section, Principles and Practice of Neuro-Oncology reflects the breadth and depth of this multi-faceted specialty.
Pediatric Neuro-oncology
“The editors…have done an outstanding job of presenting…complex information in a lucid manner – this book is a must-read for the global community of aspiring students and neuro-oncology practitioners.” Amar Gajjar, MD in the Foreword
This is a succinct introduction to pediatric neuro-oncology. It summarizes the key advances in molecular biology that have helped transform this rapidly evolving field and provides up-to-date coverage of major and emerging treatment modalities as well as supportive care. Separate chapters present each kind of pediatric brain cancer and its diagnosis and treatment. As more children survive brain cancer, the importance of quality of life issues and helping survivors to cope with the neuropsychological impact and long-term effects of current therapies has come into sharper focus; these topics are also addressed in the book, as are palliative care and pediatric neuro-oncology in countries with limited resources. The book is aimed at trainees and practitioners who seek an up-to-date text in pediatric neuro-oncology that is both comprehensive and concise.
Neuro-Oncology: Blue Books of Neurology Series
Neuro-Oncology-a new title in the Blue Books of Practical Neurology series-is a concise and clinically applicable guide to this dynamic subspecialty. Jeremy Rees, PhD, MRCP and Patrick Y. Wen, MD present the most current information on the treatment and management of primary CNS tumors, secondary brain tumors, and the neurological complications of other cancers and their therapies in a format and scope appealing to both the general neurologist and the subspecialist.
Access comprehensive coverage of treatment for adult and pediatric conditions-including tumors of the spinal cord as well as the brain.
Find coverage of recent advances easily thanks to the emphasis on the latest clinical and laboratory findings and their implications for clinical management and treatment.
Apply the possibilities and outcomes of neuro-oncologic surgery within the context of neurologic practice.
Address the neurologic complications of cancer and its treatment as well as of primary and secondary tumors.
Tap into the global perspectives of experts from all around the world for a multi-disciplinary approach to practice.
Neuro-Oncology Part I, Volume 104: Handbook of Clinical Neurology (Series Editors: Aminoff, Boller and Swaab)
Handbook of Clinical Neurology: Neuro-Oncology, Part I summarizes the present state of scientific and clinical knowledge in the field of neuro-oncology, including information related to diagnostic techniques such as imaging, along with immunology, molecular biology, and clinical aspects of tumors. Management and new therapeutic strategies for tumors, including gene therapy and molecularly targeted treatments, are also covered. Divided into eight sections encompassing 61 chapters, the book begins with an overview of the basic principles of tumors, including the epidemiology of primary central nervous system tumors, angiogenesis and invasion in cancer, the link between blood-brain barrier and brain edema, and the role of stem cells in gliomas. It proceeds with a discussion of diagnostic tools such as neuroimaging, the principles of tumor therapy such as radiotherapy and immunotherapy, and clinical trials in neuro-oncology. The reader is also introduced to specific tumor types such as low-grade gliomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, and medulloblastoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumors, along with rare brain tumors like neurofibromatosis and other genetic syndromes. Furthermore, the book explains the neurological complications of systemic cancer and complications from treatments. This volume will appeal to clinicians and neuroscientists as well as researchers who want to gain a better understanding of the clinical features and management of the neurological manifestations of tumors.
* An invaluable resource that includes critical, in-depth insights into recent developments in neuro-oncology
* A fresh perspective on molecular biology, immunology, and other clinical aspects of tumors of the nervous system
* Extensive coverage of tumor management and new therapeutic strategies, including gene therapy and molecularly targeted treatments
* New tactics and therapies that will aid clinicians in their quest to provide optimal care for their neuro-oncological patients