Main description:

The International Meeting on Brain Oncology in Rennes was organised in honor of Jean Pecker, to pay tribute to his contribution to the development of neurological sciences and to take stock of the current state of knowledge on brain tumors, a domain in which the role of neurosurgery has been and will continue to be primordial. During the two-day conference, the major themes of brain oncology studies, both fundamental and clinical, were examined: oncogenesis, tumoral markers and immunology, metabolic and diagnosis imaging, prognostic factors and therapeutic strategies. The large number and high quality of participations resulted in a genuinely synthetic view of current advances in research, of which this book presents the essentials. We have attempted both to preserve the richness of scientific exchanges which occurred and to publish a great many oral and poster communications. The book respects the organization of conference sessions, and thus reflects the importance accorded to glial tumor studies. This may seem disproportionate given their frequency of occurrence in proportion to total numbers of intracranial tumor processes, but their gravity and quasi-total resistance to current therapeutic methods are ample justification. Moreover, this is the domain in which hopes of progress are beginning to appear, and it is becoming possible to envisage treatment based on recently established fundamental knowledge.

Contents:

I: Oncogenesis.- Genetics of Neuroepithelial Brain Tumours.- Oncogenes, Growth Factors and the Pathogenesis of Human Glioma: The 1986 Engelhardt Lecture.- Amplification and Expression of Viral Sequences and Oncogenes in Human Brain Tumors.- Chromosomal Studies in Malignant Gliomas.- Karyotype Patterns in Forty Human Meningiomas.- II: Neuropathology.- Immunohistochemistry in Neuro-Oncology: Markers or Signposts?.- Immunocytochemistry and the Pathological Diagnosis of Cerebral Tumours.- GFAP Immunoreactivity of Oligoastrocytomas; Study of 120 Cases.- GFA and S-100 Proteins in Low Grade Astrocytomas.- Intermediate Filaments in Fresh Frozen Tissue in Neuro-Oncology; about a Series of 1000 Peroperative Biopsies.- Glutamine Synthetase, a Marker of an Astroglial Subpopulation in Mouse Brain.- Correlation of in Situ Cell Kinetics and Degree of Anaplasia in Human Brain Tumors: Identification of S-Phase Cells with Anti-BUdR Antibodies.- Pronostic Value of Labeling Index in Stereotactic Biopsies of Glial Tumours.- Proliferative Potential of Malignant and Non-Malignant Meningiomas.- Histological Patterns in Germ Cell Tumors.- Dysontogenetic Brain Tumours; Morphological Variability and Problems of Classification.- Congenital Intracranial Tumors.- Meningiomas: The Value of Diagnostic Cytology by Tissue Imprints.- III: Tumoral Immunobiology and Oncobiology.- Modulation of Class I and Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex Antigens in Gliomas.- Isolation, Functional Properties and Clonal Analysis of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes from Human Brain Tumors.- The Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies in Neuro-Oncology.- In-Vivo-Localization of Radiolabelled Monoclonal Antibody in Human Gliomas.- Levels of Polyamine Biosynthetic Decarboxylase Activities as Indicators of the Degree of Malignancy of Human Primary Central Nervous System Tumors.- Red Blood Cell Polyamines in the Long Term Follow-up of Malignant Gliomas.- The Selective Release of Polypeptides from Human Glioma Cell Cultures and their Modification by Dexamethasone.- Preliminary Assessment of the Correlation between Clinicopathological Features of Intracranial Tumours and the Amount of Extractable Angiogenic Activity: High and Low Mr Factors.- Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors in Central Nervous System Tumors.- Steroid Hormone Receptors and Intracranial Tumors.- Steroid Sex Hormones in Non-Pituitary Brain Tumours.- Trials of Hormonal Manipulation of Meningiomas in Vivo and in Vitro.- IV: Biological and Diagnostic Imaging.- Metabolic Studies of Brain Tumours by Positron Emission Tomography.- Study of 11 C-L-Methionine Uptake in Brain Gliomas by Positron Emission Tomography: Metabolic Grading, and Effects of Radiotherapy and Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy.- Positron Emission Tomography with 11-C-Methionine of Intracranial Tumours Compared with Histology of Multiple Biopsies.- Neuropathology and Regional Imaging of Microcirculation, Tissue pH, Metabolites and Necroses in Cerebral RG2 and F98 Anaplastic Rat Glioma Transplantation Tumors.- Can Polyamines Act as Positron Emitters in Cerebral Oncology? Preliminary Results Obtained in Nude Mice Bearing Human Glioblastoma Xenografts.- Conception and Evaluation of a MRI and CT Stereotactic Frame in Neuro-Oncology.- MRI and the Surgical Treatment of Low Grade Gliomas.- Brain Electrical Activity Mapping in Brain Tumors.- Tumour: An Expert System for the Diagnosis of Brain Tumours in Computer Tomographic Images and Histopathologically.- V: Clinico-Pathological Studies.- Multi-Centre Epidemiological Study on Primary Cerebral Tumours in the Veneto Region. Preliminary Data from June 1st 1985 to December 31st 1985.- Chemically Induced Human Gliomas. Occurence of Brain Gliomas in Three Matchbox Manufacturers. an Occupational Risk?.- Prospective Analysis of Grade III and IV Gliomas, with Considerations on Histological Classification.- Histological Factors in the Prognosis of Malignant Gliomas.- Supra-Tentorial Gliomas: Multivariate Analysis of Prognostic Factors.- High Graded Astrocytoma: Results of Treatment.- Primary Malignant Non Hodgkin's Lymphomas of the Central Nervous System. Report of Two Cases with a Predominant Callosal Localization.- Tumours of the Pineal Region.- Meningeal and Intra-Cerebral Localizations of Kaposi's Sarcoma in AIDS.- Intra-Cranial Meningiomas with Extra-Cranial Dissemination.- Intra-Cranial Soft Meningiomas: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Study about 33 Cases.- Brain Metastases Revealing Lung Cancer: The Effect of Combined Surgery on Quality and Duration of Survival.- VI: Neurosurgical Procedures and Radiotherapy Trends.- Therapeutic Modalities in Low Grade Gliomas.- Evaluation of Stereotactic Biopsy as an AID for the Management of Supratentorial Tumors.- Intraoperative Ultrasonography in Neurosurgery.- Surgery as Definitive Salvage Therapy for Primary Brain Tumors.- Radiation Therapy in the Treatment of Malignant Supratentorial Gliomas: Current Trends and Prospects. a Review.- Whole Brain Irradiation is Not Necessary for the Treatment of Malignant Supra-Tentorial Gliomas.- Quality of Treatment Response and Survival in Patients with Supra-Tentorial Malignant Gliomas.- Neuropsychologic Impairment in Adults with Brain Tumors after Radiation Therapy.- The Tolerance of Irradiation in Children with Brain Tumour.- Human High-Grade Gliomas Grafted into Nude Mice: A Model System to Compare Radiotherapy Schedules.- Pharmacology of the Hypoxic Cell Radiosensitizers Ro 03-8799 and SR 2508 in Human Gliomas and Brain Tissue.- Antibody-Guided Irradiation Therapy for Cases of Neoplastic Meningitis.- VII: Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy.- An in Vitro Comparative Study of BCNU, VM 26, 5-FU and Ara-A5?p in Treatment of Primary and Secondary CNS-Neoplasms; Potential Clinical Relevance and Clinical Correlations.- Heterogeneity in Chemosensitivity and Acquisition of Drug Resistance in a Murine Model of Glioma.- Assay of Anticancer Drugs in Tissue Culture: The Effect of Cell Kinetics and the Mode of Action of Drugs on the Chemosensitivity of Cultures Derived from Malignant Brain Tumours.- Preclinical Chemosensitivity Studies with Human Gliomas in Nude Mice.- Rat Glioma Follow-Up by In-Vivo 31-Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Activity of Two New Antineoplastic Agents.- 31-P-NMR Spectroscopy in Vivo of Human and Rat Brain Tumors Grafted on Nude Mice.- Blood Brain Barrier Modification and Chemotherapy in Treatment of Malignant Gliomas.- Human Central Nervous System Pharmacology of Antineoplastic Agents: Implications for the Treatment of Brain Tumors.- Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy for Brain Tumors: A Summary of the Ottawa Experience.- Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy Using Extra-Intracranial by-pass for the Treatment of Malignant Gliomas.- Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy with BCNU. Correlations between Tumour Growth and Red Blood Cell Polyamine Levels.- Effects of Intra-Arterially Administered 1,3-bis (2-Chloroethyl)-1-Nitrosurea (BCNU) on the Electroretinogram of the Rabbit. a Study on the Retinal Toxicity of BCNU.- Cerebral Toxicity Following Supraophthalmic Intracarotid Infusion of BCNU: Study of 4 Malignant Gliomas.- Preliminary Experience with Menogaril in the Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastomas.- Chemotherapy in the Management of Pineal Region Germinomas.- The Effectiveness of Chemotherapy in a Case of Childhood Esthesioneuroblastoma.- Renaissance of Intratumoural Chemotherapy.- Chemotherapy of Malignant Supratentorial Gliomas: Achievements and Prospectives.- Early Phase II Study of the Adoptive Immunotherapy of Human Brain Tumors with Lymphokine-Activated Killer (LAK) Cells and Recombinant Interleukin-2 (rIL-2).- Immunotherapy in Recurrent Malignant Brain Tumors.- Index of Keywords.- Authors Index.