Introduction The traditional principle in neuro-oncology is to study the tumor first, with little consideration regarding the host; that is, the brain. Nevertheless, to define the optimal therapeutic management for each patient bearing a diffuse glioma (DG), the concept of…
Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge and thank Kisa Zhang for her artwork in Fig. 17.1 . Historical context of electric field treatment The application of physical energy from various parts of the electromagnetic spectrum is common in glioblastoma treatment. The most widely…
The prognosis following diagnosis of glioblastoma remains poor. Historically, there have been many notable attempts to use local drug delivery to treat glioblastoma, including convection-enhanced delivery (CED), direct tumor injection, and the use of to deliver chemotherapeutics. The use of…
Introduction Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive treatment modality for brain tumors and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, first introduced by Bown in 1983, which has been revived over the last 2 decades because of recent…
Introduction Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with a median survival of approximately 15 months. Standard of care treatment of GBM includes maximal safe surgical resection, fractionated radiotherapy, temozolomide chemotherapy, and, most recently, tumor treatment fields. Despite…
Introduction The goal of modern surgery for glioblastoma is maximal safe resection. Neurosurgeons are keenly aware of the dramatic negative effects that postoperative neurologic deficits have on survival and quality of life. In contrast, achieving a complete or near-complete resection of enhancing…
Preoperative surgical evaluation The initial evaluation of a patient with suspected glioblastoma includes history and physical examination, anatomic imaging, and symptom management with seizure medications and corticosteroids. Clinical presentation of glioblastoma is highly variable, depending on tumor size, location, and…
Given the aggressive nature of glioblastoma, it is nearly a certainty that all patients will need to be evaluated for potential treatment of recurrent disease. There is currently no definitive standard of care for recurrent glioblastoma. Unlike in other solid…
Introduction This chapter reviews the history of angiogenesis and how it was recognized as an essential mechanism for tumor establishment and growth. From the initial recognition of tumor vascularity to the purification of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), this chapter…
Introduction Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain malignancy, carries a poor prognosis and has therefore been the subject of numerous studies attempting to improve outcomes. Although a plethora of investigative studies and clinical trials have focused on this patient…