Neurology, Addiction and Psychiatry Conference

Neuro-oncology is the diagnosis and treatment of tumors in the CNS-brain and spinal cord. They can either be of primary or metastatic origin. Some of the most common brain tumors are gliomas, meningiomas, astrocytomas, and ependymomas. Because of both the complexity of CNS tumors and their critical location, neuro-oncology is really a very specialized discipline integrating neurology, oncology, and neurosurgery.

The symptoms of brain tumors depend on the size, type, and location of the tumor. Symptoms may range from headaches and seizures to mental changes to motor dysfunction, vision problems, and speech difficulties. The key element in their treatment is early diagnosis, and recent advances in neuro-imaging technologies such as MRI and CT scans have dramatically improved the ability to identify and characterize the tumor.

Whereever the brain and spinal cord tumor appears, the treatment is performed as a multi-disciplinary approach of neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiologists, and specialized neuro-oncologists. Neurosurgery is conducted to remove or downgrade the size of the tumor in most cases with increased intracranial pressure or some neurological complications. One of the most aggressive types of brain tumors is glioblastoma. The treatment most commonly consists of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy that aims to slow the rapid growth of a tumor for a better outcome.

Latest developments in neuro-oncology will include targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and precision medicine that will offer personalized treatment approaches for CNS tumors. Immunotherapies depend on the way the human body's natural immune response can kill cancer cells, whereas molecular-targeted therapies work to disrupt pathways where tumors rely on them to grow and survive. For instance, the anti-angiogenic therapies are starving the tumor of required nutrients by supplying it through drugs by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels supplying the tumor.

Besides therapy, the treatment process plays an important role in neuro-oncology when the patient regains lost functions caused by the tumor or its treatment. Some integral parts of care following treatment include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive rehabilitation, which are mainly applied to patients with the long-lasting effects of a brain tumor.

Neuro-oncology continues to advance through the opening of more clinical trials in developing new drugs, improving surgical techniques, and perfecting radiation therapy. Ending neuro-oncology is not just the survival rate but also improving quality of life of the patients with these challenging, highly complex diseases.