With tens of thousands of new CNS tumor cases each year in the US alone, this Book Series is a vital resource for any medical professional encountering brain and CNS neoplasms in their work. Their frequent occurrence, as well as the scope and pace of research in the field, make staying on top of developments a priority. Focusing on the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of those affecting the spine, this sixth volume in the series on tumors in the human central nervous system covers the key aspects of a range of major spinal tumors, including astrocytomas, ependymomas, and oligodendroglioma. It provides readers with insights into the molecular pathways involved in tumor biology as well as a detailed classification of intradural spinal tumors that includes figures on the relative incidence of the three major types.

Moving on to oligodendroglioma and primary spinal cord tumors, the volume discusses their diagnoses, outcomes and prognoses, before explaining procedures for identifying other spinal tumor varieties such as pilomyxoid and chordomas. Contributors also enumerate the benefits of neuroimaging in assessing spinal teratoid/rhabdoid and gangliogliomas neoplasms, and present detailed guides to treating a number of tumors affecting the spinal cord. The comprehensive coverage includes discussion of therapies across the spectrum of medical intervention, from chemotherapy and surgery to cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy and rhenium-186 intracavity radiation. With assessments of the utility of transplanting stem-cell progenitors in repairing injured spinal cord, and explanations of new diagnostic and therapeutic technology, this volume of the TCNS series is as inclusive as it is informative.

Zusammenfassung
This volume contains information on the diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of spinal tumors. Various aspects of different major types of spinal tumors (astrocytomas, ependymomas, and oligodendroglioma) are discussed. Insights into the understanding of molecular pathways involved in tumor biology are explained. Classification of intradural spinal tumors, including the percentages of each of the three major types, is detailed. Symptoms, radiological features, and clinicopathological parameters of spinal cord tumors are explained. Diagnosis, outcome, and prognosis of primary spinal cord and oligodendroglioma are discussed. Diagnosis of some other spinal tumors (e.g., pilomyxoid and chordomas) is also explained. The useful role of neuroimaging in diagnosing spinal teratoid/rhabdoid and gangliogliomas is included. A wide variety of treatments of a number of spinal cord tumor types are presented in detail. Therapies discussed include chemotherapy, surgery, radiosurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, Cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy, standard radiation alone, and rhenium-186 intracavity radiation. Also are duiscussed embolozation and spondylectomy. The usefulness of transplantation of human embryonic stem cells-derived oligodendrocyte progenitors and motoneuron progenitors in the repair of injured spinal cord is emphasized. Symptoms of the advent of spinal tumors are pointed out. Introduction to new technologies and their applications to spinal cord tumor diagnosis, treatment, and therapy assessment are explained.

Inhalt

1 General introduction.-2 Pediatric mixed glioneuronal tumors in the spinal cord.-3 Intradural spinal tumors: classification, symptoms, and radiological features.-4 Non-dysraphic intradural spinal cord lipoma: management guidelines.-5 Malignant astrocytomas of the spinal cord: clinicopathologic parameters.-6 Spinal epidural angiolipoma. I Diagnosis.-7 Spinal cord tumor oligodendroglioma: diagnosis.-8 Primary spinal oligodendroglioma: diagnosis, outcome, and prognosis.-9 Pilomyxoid astrocytoma of the spinal cord with cerebrospinal fluid and peritoneal metastasis.-10 Intraspinal oncocytic adrenocortical adenoma: diagnosis.-11 Chordomas of the clivus and upper cervical spine. Imaging.-12 Spinal teratoid/ rhabdoid tumor: use of diffusion - weighted imaging for diagnosis.-13 Gangliogliomas of the spinal cord: neuroimaging correlations with pathology, controversies in pathological diagnosis, and prognosis. Therapy.-14 Surgery for spinal tumours.-15 Resection of spinal meningioma: postoperative focal hyperemia.-16 Spinal cord hemangioblastomas: surgical management.-17 Spinal radiosurgery: delayed radiation-induced myelopathy.-18 Metastatic spine disease: indications, timing, and outcomes for surgery and radiation therapy.-19 Sequence of surgery, radiotherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of metastatic spine disease: effects on wound healing.-20 Treatment of spinal tumors with cyberknife stereotactic radiotherapy.-21 Recurrent spinal cord cystic astrocytomas: treatment with rhenium-186 intracavitary radiation.-22 Embolization of spinal tumors.-23 Embolization of spinal cord tumours.-24 Locomotor recovery after spinal cord transaction: transplantation of oligodendrocytes and motoneuron progenitors generated from human embryonic stem cells.-25 Malignant primary spinal neoplasms: total en bloc spondylectomy. Index.