This wide-ranging survey of the field examines a plethora of relevant material, covering issues as diverse as the advantages and limitations of biomarkers in gliomagenesis to the diagnostic applications of imaging methodologies such as PET and SPECT.

Advantages and limitations of biomarkers in gliomagenesis are described. Molecular subtypes of gliomas are detailed. The role played by TP53 gene mutation in the deadliest brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, is pointed out. The role of mutations of IDH1 and IDH2, and isocitrate dehydrogenases in malignant gliomas are presented. Metabolic differences in different regions of the glioma tumor are clarified. Various types of imaging modalities, including PET and SPECT, to diagnose gliomas in general and glioblastoma in particular in patients are explained in detail. Both low-grade and high-grade gliomas are discussed. Conventional as well as fluorescent-guided resection techniques for high-grade, recurrent malignant gliomas are detailed. Impact of resection extent on outcomes in patients with high-grade gliomas is clarified. The advantage of the use of intraoperative low-field MRI in glioma surgery is explained.

Targeted therapy determined by molecular genetics is emphasized. Several imaging techniques for diagnosis and treatment assessment are detailed. Present and future therapeutic drugs against malignant gliomas are described. The anti-tumor action of cyclosporine A and functionally-related drugs is explained. Brain tumor angiogenesis and glioma grading are described.

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Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION. I. BIOMARKERS AND DIAGNOSIS. Chapter 2. GLIOMAGENESIS: ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF BIOMARKERS. Chapter 3. MOLECULAR SUBTYPES OF GLIOMAS. Chapter 4. GLIOBLASTOMA: GERMLINE MUTATION OF TP53. Chapter 5. GLIOMAS: ROLE OF THE TP53 GENE. Chapter 6. THE ROLE OF IDH1 AND IDH2 MUTATIONS IN MALIGNANT GLIOMAS. Chapter 7. MALIGNANT GLIOMA: ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASES 1 AND 2 MUTATIONS. Chapter 8. METABOLIC DIFFERNCES IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF GLIOMA SAMPLES. Chapter 9. GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS: ROLE OF METHYLATED MGMT. Chapter 10. BRAIN TUMOR ANGIOGENESIS AND GLIOMA GRADING: ROLE OF TUMOR BLOOD VOLUME AND PERMEABILITY ESTIMATES USING PERFUSION CT. Chapter 11. VASCULOGENIC MIMICRY IN GLIOMA. Chapter 12. NEWLY DIAGNOSED GLIOMA: DIAGNOSIS USING POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY WITH METHIONINE AND FLUOROTHYMIDINE. Chapter 13. ROLE OF DIFFUSION TENSOR IMAGING IN DIFFERENTIATION OF GLIOBLASTOMAS FROM SOLITARY BRAIN METASTASES. Chapter 14. I-TM-601 SPECT IMAGING OF HUMAN GLIOMA. Chapter 15. ASSESSMENT OF BIOLOGICAL TARGET VOLUME USING POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY IN HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA PATIENTS. Chapter 16. SKIN METASTASES OF GLIOBLASTOMA. II. THERAPY. Chapter 17. DIFFUSE LOW-GRADE GLIOMAS. WHAT DOES COMPLETE RESECTION MEAN? Chapter 18. QUANTITATIVE APPROACH OF THE NATURAL COURSE OF DIFFUSE LOW-GRADE GLIOMAS. Chapter 19. IMPACT OF RESECTION EXTENT ON OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH-GRADE GLIOMAS. Chapter 20. RECURRENT MALIGNANT GLIOMAS: 5-AMINOLEVULINIC ACID FLUORESCENCE-GUIDED RESECTION. Chapter 21. GLIOMA SURGERY: INTRAOPERATIVE LOW FIELD MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING. Chapter 22. LOW-GRADE GLIOMAS: INTRAOPERATIVE ELECTRICAL STIMULATIONS. Chapter 23. MALIGNANT GLIOMAS: PRESENT AND FUTURE THERAPEUTIC DRUGS. Chapter 24. RECURRENT MALIGNANTGLIOMA PATIENTS: TREATMENT WITH CONFORMAL RADIOTHERAPY AND SYSTEMIC THERAPY. Chapter 25. GLIOBLASTOMA: BORON NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY. Chapter 26. GLIOBLASTOMA: ANTI-TUMOR ACTION OF CYCLOSPORINE A AND FUCTIONALLY RELATED DRUGS.Chapter 27. GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS: CHEMOTHERAPY WITH CISPLATIN, TEMOZOLOMIDE AND THALIDOMIDE. Chapter 28. GLIOBLASTOMA : ROLE OF GALECTIN- 1 IN CHEMORESISTANCE. Chapter 29. GLIOMA-INITIATING CELLS: INTERFERON TREATMENT. Chapter 30. GLIOBLASTOMA : ANTITUMOR ACTION OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS. Chapter 31. PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA: THERAPY WITH COMBINATION OF BEVACIZUMAB AND IRINOTECAN. Chapter 32. MONITORING GLIOMAS IN VIVO USING DIFFUSION- WEIGHTED MRI DURING GENE THREAPY INDUCED APOPTOSIS. Chapter 33. HIGH-GRADE GLIOMAS: DENDRITIC CELL THERAPY. Chapter 34. GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME: USE OF ADENOVIRAL VECTORS. Chapter 35. FISCHER-F98 GLIOMA MODEL: METHODOLOGY. Chapter 36. CELLULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTI-VEGF AND IL-6 THERAPY IN EXPERIMENTAL GLIOMA. Chapter 37. ADULT BRAINSTEM GLIOMAS: DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT . Chapter 38. USE OF LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT HEPARIN IN THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF THROMBOEMBOLIC DISEASE IN GLIOMA PATIENTS. III. PROGNOSIS. Chapter 39. BRAINSTEM GLIOMAS: AN OVERVIEW. Chapter 40. TUMOR-ASSOCIATED EPILEPSY IN PATIENTS WITH GLIOMA. Chapter 41. CHRONIC EPILEPSY ASSOCIATED WITH BRAIN TUMORS: SURGICAL NEUROPATHOLOGY. Chapter 42. LOW-GRADE GLIOMAS: ROLE OF RELATIVE CEREBRAL BLOOD VOLUME IN MALIGNANT TRANSFORMATION. Chapter 43. ANGIOCENTRIC GLIOMA- INDUCED SEIZURES: LESIONECTOMY.