• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Objective : The aim of this report is to provide accurate nationwide epidemiologic data on primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors in Korea. Despite its importance, there are no accurate statistics on primary CNS tumors in Korea. We analyzed primary CNS tumors diagnosed in 2005 from the nationwide registry. Methods : Data on primary CNS tumors diagnosed in 2005 were collected from the Korean Central Cancer Registry and the Korean Brain Tumor Society. Crude and age-standardized rates were calculated in terms of gender, age, and histological type. Tumors of uncertain histology were investigated individually at the corresponding hospitals and had their diagnoses confirmed. Results : A total of 5,692 patients diagnosed with primary CNS tumors in 2005 were included in this study. CNS tumors occurred in females more often than in males (female to male, 1.43 : 1). The most common tumor was meningioma (31.2%). Glioblastoma accounted for 30.7% of all gliomas, and 19.3% of all malignant primary CNS tumors. In children under 19 years of age, both germ cell tumor and embryonal/primitive/medulloblastoma were the most common tumors. Conclusion : This article is the first nationwide primary CNS tumor epidemiology report in Korea. Data from this study should provide valuable information regarding the understanding of primary CNS tumors epidemiology in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권3호
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• pp.402-406
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• 2018

In contrast to many of the malignant tumors that occur in the central nervous system in adults, the management, responses to therapy, and future perspectives of children with malignant lesions of the brain hold considerable promise. Within the past 5 years, remarkable progress has been made with our understanding of the basic biology of the molecular genetics of several pediatric malignant brain tumors including medulloblastoma, ependymoma, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour, and high grade glioma/diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. The recent literature in pediatric neuro-oncology was reviewed, and a summary of the major findings are presented. Meaningful sub-classifications of these tumors have arisen, placing children into discrete categories of disease with requirements for targeted therapy. While the mainstay of therapy these past 30 years has been a combination of central nervous system irradiation and conventional chemotherapy, now with the advent of high resolution genetic mapping, targeted therapies have emerged, and less emphasis is being placed on craniospinal irradiation. In this article, the present and future perspective of pediatric brain malignancy are reviewed in detail. The progress that has been made offers significant hope for the future for patients with these tumours.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• 제42권sup1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Primary brain tumor accounts for 1.4% of entire cancer. For males between the ages of 15 and 34 years, central nervous system tumors account for the leading cause of cancer death. $^{18}F-FDG$ PET has been reported that it can provide important diagnostic information relating to tumor grading and differentiation from non- tumorous condition. In addition, the degree of FDG metabolism carries prognostic significance. By mapping the metabolic pattern of heterogeneous tumors, $^{18}F-FDG$ PET can aid in targeting for stereotactic biopsy by selecting the subregions within the tumor that are most hypermetabolic and potentially have the highest grade. According to clinical research data, FOG PET is expected to be a helpful diagnostic tool in the management of brain tumors.

• 대한자기공명의과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한자기공명의과학회 2003년도 제8차 학술대회 초록집
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• pp.24-24
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• 2003

Purpose： It is known that diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) is helpful in the evaluation of malignancy grading in brain tumor. This study was to evaluate the DWls with different b-values of various brain tumors in order to determine optimal b-values on 3T MR unit. Method： On a 3T MR unit, DWls with b-values of 1, 000, 3, 000 and 5, 000 s/mm2 were obtained in 20 patients of pathologically-proven brain tumors (7 metastases, 4 high grade gliomas, 2 Iymphomas, 2 low grade gliomas, 2 germinomas, and one each of germinoma, meningioma, hemangioblastoma and central neurocytoma. The overall image quality, contrast between normal brain parenchyma and tumor and signal intensities of solid and cystic components were comparatively evaluated among DWls with different b-values by visual inspection.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.637-640
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• 2012

The Delhi Population Based Cancer Registry data during the period 2003-2007 were used to describe the epidemiology of primary malignant brain and central nervous system tumors in Delhi. A total of 1989 brain and CNS tumors cases in 1291 males and 698 females were registered during the period 1st January 2003 to 31st December 2007. The age adjusted (world population) incidence rates were 3.9 per 100,000 for males and 2.4 per 100,000 for females. Gliomas were the most frequently reported histology both in males (26.6%) and females (23.2%). A male predominance in incidence was observed for all histological classifications. The rates in Delhi are low compared to the incidences reported from developed countries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.217-226
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• 2006

Malignant gliomas are the most common type of primary brain tumor and are in great need of novel therapeutic approaches. Advances in treatment have been very modest, significant improvement in survival has been lacking for many decades, and prognosis remains dismal. Despite "gross total" surgical resections and currently available radio-chemotherapy, malignant gliomas inevitably recur due to reservoirs of notoriously invasive tumor cells that infiltrate adjacent and non-adjacent areas of normal brain parenchyma. In principle, the immune system is uniquely qualified to recognize and target these infiltrative pockets of tumors cells, which have generally eluded conventional treatment approaches, In the span of the last 10 years, our understanding of the cancer-immune system relationship has increased exponentially; and yet we are only beginning to tease apart the intricacies of the central nervous system and immune cell interactions. This article reviews the complex associations of the immune system with brain tumors. We provide an overview of currently available treatment options for malignant gliomas, existing gaps in our knowledge of brain tumor immunology, and strategies that might be exploited for improved design of "custom immunotherapeutics." We will also examine major new immunotherapy approaches that are being actively investigated to treat patients with malignant glioma, and identify some current and future research priorities in this area.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제61권3호
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• pp.386-392
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• 2018

Radiation therapy is highly effective for the management of pediatric malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors including embryonal tumors. With the increment of long-term survivors from malignant CNS tumors, the radiation-related toxicities have become a major concern and we need to improve the treatment strategies to reduce the late complications without compromising the treatment outcomes. One of such strategies is to reduce the radiation dose to craniospinal axis or radiation volume and to avoid or defer radiation therapy until after the age of three. Another strategy is using particle beam therapy such as proton beams instead of photon beams. Proton beams have distinct physiologic advantages over photon beams and greater precision in radiation delivery to the tumor while preserving the surrounding healthy tissues. In this review, I provide the treatment principles of pediatric CNS embryonal tumors and the strategic improvements of radiation therapy to reduce treatment-related late toxicities, and finally introduce the increasing availability of proton beam therapy for pediatric CNS embryonal tumors compared with photon beam therapy.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.265-275
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• 2006

In the developing brain, capillaries are differentiated and matured into the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is composed of cerebral endothelial cells, astrocyte end-feet, and pericytes. Since the BBB regulates the homeostasis of central nervous system (CNS), the maintenance of the BBB is important for CNS function. The disruption of the BBB may result in many brain disorders including brain tumors. However, the molecular mechanism of BBB formation and maintenance is poorly understood. Here, we summarize recent advances in the role of oxygen tension and growth factors on BBB development and maintenance, and in BBB dysfunction related with brain tumors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제43권4호
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• pp.190-193
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• 2008

Objective : Cancer-testis (CT) genes are considered promising candidates for immunotherapeutic approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate which CT genes should be targeted in immunotherapy for brain tumors. Methods : We investigated the expression of 6 CT genes (MAGE-E1, SOX-6, SCP-1, SSX-2, SSX-4, and HOMTES-85) using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction in 26 meningiomas and 32 other various brain tumor specimens, obtained from the patients during tumor surgery from 2000 to 2005. Results : The most frequently expressed CT genes of meningiomas were MAGE-E1, which were found in 22/26 (85%) meningioma samples, followed by SOX-6 (9/26 or 35%). Glioblastomas were most frequently expressed SOX-6 (6/7 or 86%), MAGE-E1 (5/7 or 71%), followed by SSX-2 (2/7 or 29%) and SCP-1 (1/7 or 14%). However, 4 astrocytomas, 3 anaplastic astrocytomas, and 3 oligodendroglial tumors only expressed MAGE-E1 and SOX-6. Schwannomas also expressed SOX-6 (5/6 or 83%), MAGE-E1 (4/6 or 67%), and SCP-1 (2/6 or 33%). Conclusion : The data presented here suggest that MAGE-E1 and SOX-6 genes are expressed in a high percentage of human central nervous system tumors, which implies the CT genes could be the potential targets of immunotherapy for human central nervous system tumors.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권23호
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• pp.10319-10323
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• 2015

Background: The incidence rate of brain tumors has increased more than 40% in the past 20 years, especially in adults. We aimed to study the clinical and pathological findings of central nervous system (CNS) tumor patients and to evaluate their 5 year survival rates. Materials and Methods: The archives of all patients with CNS tumors in 6 health care centers in Yazd, Iran, from 2006 to 2013, were studied. Patients data were extracted using a checklist which included age, sex, date of reference and diagnosis, date of death, clinical signs, radiography findings, pathology report, size and location of tumor, patient treatment and grade of tumor. Results: A total of 306 patient records were studied in the 8 year period. The most prevalent type of tumor was astrocytoma (n=113, 36.9%). The frequency of almost all tumor types was statistically higher in male patients (p=0.025). In most cases surgery with radiotherapy was the treatment of choice (49.3%). The most frequent symptom reported was headache (in 60.8% of patients) followed by convulsions (15.7%). Most of the tumors were located in the right hemisphere (46.1%) and the frontal and parietal lobe (26% and 12%, respectively). Radiography findings displayed edema with a nonhomogeneous lesion in majority of the patients (87%). The survival fraction of the patients with malignant tumors decreased over time (0.807 in the first year and 0.358 at the end of the $5^{th}$ year). Conclusions: Astrocytoma was the more common CNS tumor with male predominance. Overall survival rates of malignant tumors decreased over time and this was in relation with tumor grade.