This volume contains the proceedings of the latest in a series of international symposia on advances in neuro-oncology, held September 26-29, 1990, in San Remo, Italy and sponsored by the University of Pavia, I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia, Italy) and the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation (Milan-Houston). It drew papers from six continents of the world, was attended by over 500 investigators, and demonstrated the extraordinary vitality, depth and breadth of research which characterizes modem neuro-oncology. Over the course of the last decade, there has been a remarkable shift in research carried out in the heterogeneous field of neuro-oncology, which appears to be away from clinical descriptive studies, and toward more basic and fundamental investigation of the pathology, immunohis­ tochemistry, biochemical and cellular subsets of brain tumors. Besides the traditional fields of neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, and radiation therapy, there has been an increased interest and involvement by investigators in the fields of medical oncology, neuroradiology, immunology, and many areas of fundamental neurobiology. It has become evident that interest has also been exhibited in a broader spectrum of tumors than just the malignant glial series, and studies in meningioma, craniopharyngioma, neurinomas, and the pituitary tumors were reported. Several sessions were devoted to the special problems of pediatric brain tumors.

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One Biology and Diagnosis.- 1. Pathology of brain tumors and its clinicobiological correlates.- 2. Immunohistochemistry in brain tumor classification.- 3. Molecular biological events in the selection of chemotherapy resistant-cells in human malignant gliomas.- 4. Expression of multiple activated cellular oncogenes in human brain tumors.- 5. Proliferative potential of astrocytomas and glioblastomas.- 6. The biological relevance of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in human brain tumors.- 7. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of brain tumors.- 8. The application of positron emission tomography in studies of human cerebral glioma.- 9. Angiography in brain tumours.- 10. Stereotactic approach in brain tumors.- 11. Cellular localization of glucocorticoid receptor mRNAs in human CNS tumors by in situ hybridization.- 12. Proto-oncogene expression and proliferative activity in human malignant gliomas.- 13. Coexpression of PDGF and PDGF-receptors genes in human astrocytic gliomas.- 14. Diagnostic and prognostic significance of positron emission tomography in gliomas.- 15. Brain haemodynamics in intracranial supratentorial tumors.- 16. The glycosphingolipids of human astrocytomas.- 17. Findings of aberrant epidermal growth factor receptor in primary human malignant gliomas.- 18. Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) and Erb-B2 (HER 2/NEU) in glioblastoma (GBM): prognostic relevance.- 19. Evaluation of the proliferative potential of gliomas by KI 67 immunolabelling of stereotactic biopsy samples.- 20. Immunobiology of visualizable brain tumor cells: gamma interferon induces changes in the immune environment in each compartment of brain tumor spread.- 21. Epidemiology of primary cerebral tumors. Results of a multi-center study in the Veneto region of northern Italy.- 22. Simvastatin, a blocker of cholesterol biosynthesis inhibits human glioma cell profileration.- Two Therapy of Gliomas.- 23. Surgery of cerebral gliomas: state of the art.- 24. Advances in neuro-oncology for adult patients with supratentorial gliomas: from the window of radiation oncology.- 25. Recent clinical results in the chemotherapy of brain tumors: BTCG studies.- 26. Clinical application of radiolabeled human X human monoclonal antibody with interferon in the treatment of malignant glioma - preliminary report.- 27. Targeted therapy for CNS tumours with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs).- 28. Early or late surgery for supratentorial gliomas? A randomized study.- 29. Reoperation in the treatment of recurrent intracranial malignant astrocytomas.- 30. Symptomatic subependymoma: a clinico-pathologic and flow cytometric study.- 31. Prognostic factors in anaplastic astrocytomas after surgery and conventional radiotherapy.- 32. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) for cerebral glioblastoma.- 33. Positron emission tomography (PET) applied to stereotactic interstitial brain brachytherapy for malignant glioma patients.- 34. Radiosensitization of human glioma cells by buthionine sulfoximine-induced glutathione depletion.- 35. Degenerative effects of the radiotherapy on the cerebral gliomas.- 36. High dose ACNU chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation for human malignant brain tumors.- 37. Intrathecal perfusion therapy with nitrosoureas against subarachnoid dissemination of glioma: experimental and clinical studies.- 38. The potential role of lonidamine in the combined treatment of malignant gliomas. A randomized study.- 39. Rabbit brain concentrations of doxorubicin during intraarterial infusions.- 40. 8-chloro-cyclic adenosine monophosphate is a potent inhibitor of human glioma cell proliferation in vitro.- 41. Radiosensitization with carotid arterial infusion of bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) ± 5 fluorouracil (5FU) biomodulation with focal external beam radiation (FEBT) for malignant gliomas.- 42. Interstitial chemotherapy with drug impregnated polymer implants to treat brain tumors: pre-clinical and clinical studies.- 43. Biologic response to intracavitary interleukin-2/lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells in the treatment of primary malignant brain tumors.- Three Steroid in Brain.- 44. Role of oxygen radicals in cerebral edema mechanisms: rationale for the use of steroids.- 45. Comparative effects of dexamethasone and methylprednisolone on peritumoral brain edema.- 46. Oral methylprednisolone megadose in the treatment of recurrent gliomas and in-tracranial metastases. Preliminary report.- 47. Effects of methyl-prednisolone on cerebral neoplasms: clinical and radiological evaluation.- 48. Role of glucocorticoid receptors in intracranial tumors.- Four Neurinomas Meningiomas and Other Tumors.- 49. Intracranial meningiomas: state of the art.- 50. Endocrine manipulation of meningiomas with medroxyprogesterone acetate.- 51. Controversies on craniopharyngioma.- 52. Diagnosis and treatment of pineal region tumors.- 53. Primary considerations in an integrated microsurgical-stereotactic approach to lesions affecting the third ventricular chamber.- 54. Optic and chiasm tumors: present perspectives in diagnosis and treatment.- 55. Intracranial metastatic tumors: an overview.- 56. Petroclival meningiomas: their surgical treatment.- 57. Pathology of pinealomas: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.- 58. Statistical analysis of operative mortality and recurrence in intracranial meningiomas.- 59. Surgical management of lateral ventricular tumors.- Five Brain Tumors in Children.- 60. Supratentorial brain tumors in children.- 61. Brain stem gliomas.- 62. Current management of neonatal tumors.- 63. Brain tumors as second malignancies in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.- Six Intracranial Pressure Management: An Ideal Valve.- 64. The treatment of hydrocephalus in pediatric patients with a variable resistance valve.- 65. The treatment of tumoral hydrocephalus in adults by means of a variable resistance valve.- 66. Advantages of the Orbis-Sigma valve in the treatment of triventricular hydrocephalus.- 67. Reliability and efficacy of different CSF-shunting devices in the treatment of CSF-dynamics disturbances.