Humana Brain Tumors (Contemporary Cancer Research)

Exciting new developments and discoveries of the last two decades are beginning to shed light on the complex biology of brain tumors and are advancing our understa- ing of the cellular and molecular processes involved in their initiation, progression, and clinical and biological behavior. The disease process in brain tumors is quite complex and the resulting tumors are characterized by a high degree of biological and clinical diversity. Thus, despite the advances of the last two decades, prognosis for patients with malignant brain tumors remains abysmal. Significant progress in the diagnosis, treatment and, ultimately, prevention of these tumors will require both the timely h- nessing of the advances in basic and clinical brain tumor research, and a continuing concerted effort at increasing our understanding of brain tumor biology, in particular, the molecular genetic changes and perturbations of cellular pathways involved in brain oncogenesis and which drive the biological and clinical behavior of the tumors. Brain tumor diagnosis and prognosis, which is still largely based on histopathology and other clinical criteria, will, in the future, acquire a significant molecular component, with the incorporation of knowledge of genes that are mutated, over-expressed, deleted, silenced, or functionally altered in the tumors. Treatment strategies for brain tumors, rather than being empirical, will be rationally developed based on an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms and targets that have been activated, suppressed, or otherwise altered. Review "This is an important book for the shelves of neuroscience, neurology, neurosurgery, and oncology departments. It's well worth the price." - Doody's Health Sciences Book Review Journal "This book contains a welcome compilation of the known genetic reference with a good description of each abnormality." - The New England Journal of Medicine "...this book is simply indispensable and should be a significant component for all individuals associated with either biology or treatment of gliomas...a thoroughly comprehensive, up-to-date, and timely review... ." - J. Neurosurg From the Back Cover In recent years, elucidation of many exciting details of the complex cellular and molecular processes involved in the initiation, progression, and clinical and biological behavior of brain tumors has greatly deepened our understanding of these cancers, and is now leading to new paradigms in their diagnosis and treatment. In Brain Tumors, Francis Ali-Osman, DSc, has assembled a panel of leading experts to summarize and illuminate the full range of recent research advances in their rapidly evolving field, with particular emphasis on those that are providing novel insights into the disease. The chapters critically assess current knowledge and the challenges of the future in relevant areas of brain research, including basic mechanisms of neuro-oncogenesis, molecular neurobiology, genetics, epidemiology, pathology, immunology, and therapy. New knowledge is critically presented on molecular profiling, molecular pathology and classification, in vitro and in vivo brain tumor models, brain metastasis, and progenitor cell biology. They also discuss in depth the cellular and genetic pathways involved in brain oncogenesis, malignant progression, and therapeutic response, highlighting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, DNA damage and repair, invasion and migration, cell cycle, growth factors, signaling, apoptosis, and developmental biology. The discussion of brain tumor therapy focuses on advances in pharmacological thinking, therapeutic modalities, novel therapeutic targets, rational drug design, gene and viral therapies, drug delivery and the blood-brain barrier, immunotherapy, and brain imaging. Authoritative and comprehensive, Brain Tumors provides an essential state-of-the-art guide to productive work across the entire range of basic and clini