Expert review of anticancer therapy
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Dec 2007
ReviewPhoton radiotherapy for the treatment of high-grade gliomas.
High-grade gliomas are diseases characterized by poor overall survival despite aggressive multimodality therapy. Radiation therapy has been unequivocally established as the mainstay of therapy after surgical intervention, regardless of the extent of surgical resection. Despite theoretical and technological advances in the planning and delivery of radiation therapy, overall survival remains grim. In this review, we outline the evolution of radiation therapy, report the pivotal trials that have shaped this therapy and speculate on the future direction of this field.
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Expert Rev Anticancer Ther · Dec 2007
ReviewSpectrum of pediatric gliomas: implications for the development of future therapies.
The therapy of gliomas is still challenging. This is especially true for pediatric gliomas because response to conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy agents and radiation therapy is currently often poor and because therapy-related morbidity is a significant problem in children. ⋯ These new insights into the molecular mechanism driving tumor growth uncover new potential molecular targets for future therapies. In addition, they start to uncover biologically defined tumor subtypes that may have to be considered independently in the search for optimal treatment regimens.
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Radiotherapy plays a central role in the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. Historically, surgical resection alone was the mainstay of treatment for pediatric CNS malignancies. ⋯ Unfortunately, the long-term CNS side effects of radiotherapy remain a major obstacle for survivors of childhood tumors. In this article we will discuss these issues in detail and summarize the ongoing efforts to reduce the risks of these toxicities.