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Biotargets of Cancer in Current Clinical Practice pp 1–18Cite as

Central Nervous System Tumors

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Part of the book series: Current Clinical Pathology ((CCPATH))

Abstract

Overall incidence for primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors is about 19.34/100,000 person-years, men generally have higher rates of primary malignant form, and the incidence rate is lower in children. CNS tumors show several clinical presentations, like slowness in comprehension, loss of mental activity, focal cerebral signs, or symptoms related to increase of intracranial pressure. Between all the CNS cancers, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is characterized by high incidence and mortality. Conventional protocols in GBM treatment include surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and systemic chemotherapy with alkylating compounds. The overall survival of GBM is about 1 year on average, and the drug efficacy is fairly limited due to the existence of alternative genetic or epigenetic pathways able to confer a strong chemoresistance. The development of new molecular analysis techniques targeting specific cancer pathways allowed finding new specific genes or proteins (LOH at some key genetic loci, EGFR, PTEN, p53, or MGMT) useful to predict cancer aggressiveness and response to the standard radio- or chemotherapy treatment. Moreover, these studies lead to the development of new drugs, aiming at targeted therapy, able to switch off specific genetic pathways involved in cancerogenesis. This chapter reviews different molecular factors also useful as prognostic elements and focuses on the most important phase I–II studies involved in CNS cancer treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, San Salvatore Hospital, Via Lorenzo Natali, Coppito, L’Aquila, 67100, Italy

    Paolo Aloisi M.D. & Davide Cerone M.D.

  2. Home Care Unit: L’Aquila per la Vita, Via Rocco, Carabba, L’Aquila, 67100, Italy

    Francesco Martella Ph.D.

  3. Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito, L’Aquila, 67100, Italy

    Giampiero Porzio Ph.D.

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  1. Paolo Aloisi M.D.
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  2. Francesco Martella Ph.D.
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  3. Davide Cerone M.D.
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  4. Giampiero Porzio Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Paolo Aloisi M.D. .

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  1. Chair of General Pathology, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L’Aquila, Via Vetoio, Coppito-2, L'Aquila, 67100, Italy

    Mauro Bologna

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Aloisi, P., Martella, F., Cerone, D., Porzio, G. (2012). Central Nervous System Tumors. In: Bologna, M. (eds) Biotargets of Cancer in Current Clinical Practice. Current Clinical Pathology. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-615-9_1

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