Malignant Brain Tumours

• 1 Cellular and Molecular Approaches to the Study of Gliomas and Glial Development.- Glial cell development in the rat optic nerve.- Control of self-renewal in the O-2A lineage.- Glial and neuronal development in the retina and cortex.- Ramifications of current development studies for neuropathology.- Potential for positive feedback loops as contributors to growth of gliomas.- Conclusion.- References.- 2 Molecular Genetics of Brain Tumours.- Genetic techniques in studies of brain tumours.- Molecular basis of tumorigenesis.- Molecular genetics of benign brain tumours.- Cytogenetic and molecular genetic studies of malignant brain tumours: gliomas.- Oncogenes and gliomas.- Molecular genetics of neuroblastomas.- Conclusion.- References.- 3 Current Concepts of the Histopathological Classification of Tumours of the Central Nervous System.- Tumours of neuroepithelial tissue.- References.- Colour plate section appears between pages 42 and 43.- 4 General Introduction to the Clinical Features of Malignant Brain Tumours.- Epidemiology.- Clinical presentation of primary malignant brain tumours.- Specific clinical syndromes.- Glioblastoma.- References.- 5 Complications of Primary Malignant Brain Tumours.- Complications of the tumour itself.- Complications of treatment.- References.- 6 Low-grade Gliomas.- Low-grade cerebral astrocytoma.- Neurosurgical management.- Evaluation of surgical results.- Future Considerations.- Acknowledgements.- References.- 7 Management of Brain Tumours in Childhood.- Introduction: the sites; the cells; the patients.- Primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET).- Brain stem glioma.- Craniopharyngioma.- Ependymoma.- Pineal region tumours.- Conclusion.- References.- 8 Central Nervous System Neoplasms in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.- Primary CNS lymphoma.-Systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.- Kaposi’s sarcoma.- Pathogenesis of neoplasms in immune deficiency.- References.- 9 Metastatic Brain Tumours.- General aspects.- Signs and symptoms.- Investigations.- Treatment.- Outcome of treatment.- References.- 10 Diagnostic Imaging of Brain Tumours.- Detection of an abnormality.- Localization and assessment of extent of abnormality.- Characterization of a lesion.- Imaging characteristics of intrinsic tumours.- Facilitation of treatment and further surgical planning.- Monitoring of therapy and outcome of treatment.- References.- 11 Surgery for Primary Malignant Brain Tumours.- Historical introduction.- Principles of surgery.- Principles of perioperative care.- Surgical methods.- Additional surgical methods.- Surgical treatment of gliomas within a specific site.- Recent advances in surgical methods.- Results of surgery.- The case for reoperation for gliomas.- Conclusion.- References.- 12 Radiotherapy for Malignant Brain Tumours.- Biological basis of radiotherapy.- Radiation tolerance of the central nervous system.- Radiotherapy technique.- New radiotherapy techniques.- Radiotherapy in specific tumours.- Radiotherapy in other tumours: optic nerve glioma; meningioma; craniopharyngioma.- Conclusion.- References.- 13 Chemotherapy of Malignant Brain Tumour.- Summary.- Special features of chemotherapy of malignant brain tumours.- Specific treatment.- Clinical classification of malignant CNS neoplasia.- Conclusion.- Appendix I: Some abbreviations and acronyms.- References.- 14 Immunotherapy of Brain Tumours.- Brain tumour immunology: surface antigens on brain tumour; humoral immune response; cell-mediated immune response; modulation of the host immune response by gliomas.- Immunotherapy.- References.

"...an example of an excellent co-operation between neurosurgery and neuropathology...an excellent compendium of current thought and practice of brain tumours...The book may serve as a reference both for study, practice, research and teaching. It can be fully recommended" - Journal of Brain Research