Advances In Cns Tumors Treatment And Diagnosis Obstacles Challenges And Opportunities

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the eighth leading cause of cancer death and the second most common childhood cancer worldwide. Current treatment methods include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immune therapy etc. However, patients with CNS tumors usually have an unsatisfactory prognosis accompanied by impaired neurologic functions when compared with other cancers. Few drugs or treatments have been proven effective in CNS tumors due to the presence of blood-brain barriers and its distinctive tumor microenvironment.

The Human Hypothalamus: Neuroendocrine Disorders, Volume 181 in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology series, provides comprehensive summaries of recent research on the brain and nervous system as they relate to clinical neurology. This volume summarizes the role of the hypothalamus in neuroendocrine disorders, identifying the mechanism of action, disorder etiology, and best practices for assessment and treatment. Disorders covered include pituitary hypothalamic disorders of development and growth, hypothalamic tumor related disorders, hypothalamic autoimmune disorders and infection, disorders of vasopressin, water and sodium homeostasis, eating disorders, and gonadotropic hormone regulation disorders. Discusses the importance of the hypothalamus in human growth and development Reviews hypothalamic related tumors, as well as pituitary, autoimmune, vasopressin and hormone regulation disorders Includes metabolic and eating disorders Identifies mechanisms of disease action and etiology Provides best practice information for assessment and treatment

Nanotechnology-Based Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Brain Tumors addresses brain anatomy and tumors and the progress and challenges in delivering drugs across the blood brain barrier. Several chapters are devoted to the latest technologies and advances in nanotechnology, along with practical solutions on how to design more effective nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery. This valuable resource prepares readers to develop novel drug delivery systems for the treatment of brain tumors that further promote the latest nanomedical technologies. Addresses the progress and challenges inherent in delivering drugs across the blood brain barrier and offers strategies to maximize effectiveness Draws upon the experience and expertise of international scientists working in the fields of drug delivery and nanomedicine Considers the future possibilities of nanotechnology for delivering nanocarriers that better diagnose and treat brain tumors

Cancer care today often provides state-of-the-science biomedical treatment, but fails to address the psychological and social (psychosocial) problems associated with the illness. This failure can compromise the effectiveness of health care and thereby adversely affect the health of cancer patients. Psychological and social problems created or exacerbated by cancer-including depression and other emotional problems; lack of information or skills needed to manage the illness; lack of transportation or other resources; and disruptions in work, school, and family life-cause additional suffering, weaken adherence to prescribed treatments, and threaten patients' return to health. Today, it is not possible to deliver high-quality cancer care without using existing approaches, tools, and resources to address patients' psychosocial health needs. All patients with cancer and their families should expect and receive cancer care that ensures the provision of appropriate psychosocial health services. Cancer Care for the Whole Patient recommends actions that oncology providers, health policy makers, educators, health insurers, health planners, researchers and research sponsors, and consumer advocates should undertake to ensure that this standard is met.

Since the late 1960s, the survival rate in children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer has steadily improved, with a corresponding decline in the cancer-specific death rate. Although the improvements in survival are encouraging, they have come at the cost of acute, chronic, and late adverse effects precipitated by the toxicities associated with the individual or combined use of different types of treatment (e.g., surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). In some cases, the impairments resulting from cancer and its treatment are severe enough to qualify a child for U.S. Social Security Administration disability benefits. At the request of Social Security Administration, Childhood Cancer and Functional Impacts Across the Care Continuum provides current information and findings and conclusions regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of selected childhood cancers, including different types of malignant solid tumors, and the effect of those cancers on childrenâ (TM)s health and functional capacity, including the relative levels of functional limitation typically associated with the cancers and their treatment. This report also provides a summary of selected treatments currently being studied in clinical trials and identifies any limitations on the availability of these treatments, such as whether treatments are available only in certain geographic areas.

Improving and Accelerating Therapeutic Development for Nervous System Disorders is the summary of a workshop convened by the IOM Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders to examine opportunities to accelerate early phases of drug development for nervous system drug discovery. Workshop participants discussed challenges in neuroscience research for enabling faster entry of potential treatments into first-in-human trials, explored how new and emerging tools and technologies may improve the efficiency of research, and considered mechanisms to facilitate a more effective and efficient development pipeline. There are several challenges to the current drug development pipeline for nervous system disorders. The fundamental etiology and pathophysiology of many nervous system disorders are unknown and the brain is inaccessible to study, making it difficult to develop accurate models. Patient heterogeneity is high, disease pathology can occur years to decades before becoming clinically apparent, and diagnostic and treatment biomarkers are lacking. In addition, the lack of validated targets, limitations related to the predictive validity of animal models - the extent to which the model predicts clinical efficacy - and regulatory barriers can also impede translation and drug development for nervous system disorders. Improving and Accelerating Therapeutic Development for Nervous System Disorders identifies avenues for moving directly from cellular models to human trials, minimizing the need for animal models to test efficacy, and discusses the potential benefits and risks of such an approach. This report is a timely discussion of opportunities to improve early drug development with a focus toward preclinical trials.

Feedback that Sticks is a compilation of the strategies and metaphors of over 85 senior neuropsychologists: compelling, accessible ways of explaining complex neuropsychological concepts to patients, their family members, and other professionals. It provides a unique opportunity for practicing neuropsychologists to develop and strengthen their own approaches to providing feedback.