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Targeting Drugs to Tumors of the Central Nervous System

  • Chapter
Brain Tumors

Part of the book series: Contemporary Cancer Research ((CCR))

Abstract

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors represent one of the most devastating forms of human illness. In the United States, approx 16,800 people are diagnosed with primary brain tumors each year (33). Of these, half are glial cell neoplasms and more than three quarters of all gliomas are astrocytomas. Astrocytomas represent a heterogeneous group of tumors that can vary from lowgrade to the most aggressive-glioblastoma multiforme-based on histopathological classification. Conventional therapy for glioblastomas consists primarily of surgical debulking followed by radiation therapy. Unfortunately, the median survival after surgical intervention alone is 6 mo with only 7.5% of patients surviving for 2 yr. While systemic chemotherapy has been minimally effective, the addition of radiation therapy has extended the median survival to 9 mo (2,44). In spite of these efforts, little progress has been made in extending long-term patient survival, and new therapies and novel approaches are urgently needed to treat this disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

    Maciej S. Lesniak MD, James Frazier BA & Henry Brem MD

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  1. Maciej S. Lesniak MD
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  2. James Frazier BA
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

    Francis Ali-Osman DSc

  2. Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

    Francis Ali-Osman DSc

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Lesniak, M.S., Frazier, J., Brem, H. (2005). Targeting Drugs to Tumors of the Central Nervous System. In: Ali-Osman, F. (eds) Brain Tumors. Contemporary Cancer Research. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-843-9:343

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