Tumors of the Central Nervous System, Volume 12: Molecular Mechanisms, Children's Cancer, Treatments, and Radiosurgery (Tumors of the Central Nervous System, 12)

As in the case of its eleven predecessors in the series Tumors of the Central Nervous System, this volume is distinguished for its thorough approach, its roster of 92 distinguished contributors representing 11 different countries and its detailed examination of leading-edge technology and methods. Volume 12: Molecular Mechanisms, Children’s Cancer, Treatments, and Radiosurgery offers a comprehensive review of the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of brain and spinal cord tumors. Coverage extends to a large number of tumor types, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, meningioma and chordoma. Molecular profiling of brain tumors to select appropriate therapy in clinical trials of brain tumors is discussed in detail, as is the classification/diagnosis of brain tumors based on function analysis. CDK6 as the molecular regulator of neuronal differentiation in the adult brain, and the role of aquaporins in human brain tumor growth are explained. Discussion also includes tumors affecting children, including neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. A full chapter is devoted to the role of molecular genetic alterations in medulloblastoma, and another examines survival differences between children and adults with medulloblastoma. The use of various types of imaging methods to diagnose brain tumors is explained. In-depth discussion of treatment options includes stereotactic radiosurgery, endoscopic neurosurgery, electrochemotherapy, transsphenoidal surgery, focal ablation, whole brain radiation therapy and recraniotomy. Front Matter....Pages i-xlviii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Classification/Diagnosis of Brain Tumors Using Discriminant Function Analysis....Pages 3-18 Neuronal Differentiation in the Adult Brain: CDK6 as the Molecular Regulator....Pages 19-32 Prolactinomas: Role of VEGF, FGF-2 and CD31....Pages 33-41 Human Brain Tumor Growth: Role of Aquaporins....Pages 43-50 Molecular and Functional Characterization of Human Adipocytes....Pages 51-60 Front Matter....Pages 61-61 Inhibition of Neuroblastoma Progression by Targeting Lymphangiogenesis: Role of an Endogenous Soluble Splice-Variant of VEGFR-2....Pages 63-71 Hyperinsulinemia Tends to Induce Growth Without Growth Hormone in Children with Brain Tumors After Neurosurgery....Pages 73-89 Childhood Brain Tumours: Proton Beam Therapy....Pages 91-106 Pathogenesis of Medulloblastoma: Role of Molecular Genetic Alterations....Pages 107-119 Medulloblastomas: Survival Differences Between Children and Adults....Pages 121-127 Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Risk of Glioma and Meningioma Following Radiotherapy....Pages 129-135 Survivors of Childhood Cancer: Risk of New Primary Neoplasms of the CNS....Pages 137-145 Front Matter....Pages 147-147 Brain Tumor Typing and Therapy Using Combined Ex Vivo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Molecular Genomics....Pages 149-158 Atlas-Based Segmentation of Tumor-Bearing Brain Images....Pages 159-169 Nonthermal Irreversible Electroporation as a Focal Ablation Treatment for Brain Cancer....Pages 171-182 The Role of Whole Brain Radiation Therapy for Metastatic Brain Tumors....Pages 183-189 Craniotomy for Intracranial Tumors: Role of Postoperative Hematoma in Surgical Mortality....Pages 191-200 Pituitary Adenomas: Treatment Using the Endonasal Approach....Pages 201-211 Intracranial Tumors: Treatment with Endoscopic Neurosurgery....Pages 213-225 Incidence of Recraniotomy for Postoperative Infections After Surgery for Intracranial Tumors....Pages 227-233 Front Matter....Pages 147-147 Transsphenoidal Surgery for Non-Adenomatous Tumors: Effect on Pituitary Function....Pages 235-245 Treatment of Brain Tumors: Electrochemotherapy....Pages 247-259 Comparison of Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Direct Electrical Stimulation for Mapping the Motor Cortex Prior to Brain Tumor Resection....Pages 261-276 The Role of Glutathione and the Glutathione-Linked Enzyme Systems in Brain Tumor Drug Resistance....Pages 277-290 Drugs for Primary Brain Tumors: An Update....Pages 291-299 Neurosurgical Treatment for Brain Metastases: Clinical Features, Operative Strategies, Recurrence and Survival....Pages 301-311 Front Matter....Pages 313-313 Image-Guided Radiosurgery for Hypothalamic Hamartomas....Pages 315-320 Image-Guided Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Spinal Pathology....Pages 321-333 Image-Guided Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Optic Nerve Sheath Meningiomas....Pages 335-343 Brain Metastases: The Application of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Technological Advances....Pages 345-357 Treatment of Chordomas by Stereotactic Radiosurgery with a Linear Accelerator: Comparison with Other Modes....Pages 359-368 Erratum....Pages E1-E1 Back Matter....Pages 369-386 Advantages and limitations of biomarkers in gliomagenesis are described. Molecular subtypes of gliomas are detailed. The role played by TP53 gene mutation in the deadliest brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, is pointed out. The role of mutations of IDH1 and IDH2, and isocitrate dehydrogenases in malignant gliomas are presented. Metabolic differences in different regions of the glioma tumor are clarified. Various types of imaging modalities, including PET and SPECT, to diagnose gliomas in general and glioblastoma in particular in patients are explained in detail. Both low-grade and high-grade