Cochrane

The issue: Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are slow growing, less aggressive brain tumors. The most optimal surgical management is under debate. The aim of the review: There are two surgical management strategies (treatments) for a person with a suspected LGG. These are biopsy, the surgical sampling of a small amount of tumor tissue, or resection, where ...

Review question We reviewed the evidence of the effectiveness and side effects of 131I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) therapy in patients with newly diagnosed high-risk (HR) neuroblastoma (NBL). Background NBL is a rare solid cancer that develops from special nerves cells. Patients with newly diagnosed HR NBL have a poor outcome, despite intensive ...

Review question: We reviewed and compared evidence on the usefulness of injectable and gaseous techniques for rapid awakening from anaesthesia in people undergoing surgery for brain tumour. Background: Brain tumour surgery is carried out most often with the patient asleep and with the use of injectable agents or gases. Injectable agents are delivered ...

Background: High grade glioma (HGG) is a rapidly growing brain tumour in the supporting cells of the nervous system, with several subtypes such as glioblastoma (grade IV astrocytoma), anaplastic (grade III) astrocytoma and anaplastic (grade III) oligodendroglioma. It affects about 5 in 100,000 people per year in Europe and North America. A number of ...

Craniopharyngiomas are rare, slow-growing, benign tumours in the hypothalamic-pituitary region of the brain. Although they are benign, i.e. the tumour lacks the ability to invade neighbouring tissue or metastasise (spread to other sites), there is considerable morbidity and disability even when the tumour can be resected completely. Cystic craniopharyngiomas ...

Review question To assess the effects of conventional radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy) versus other therapies (including different radiotherapy techniques) for newly diagnosed diffuse brainstem gliomas in children and young adults aged 0 to 21 years. Background Diffuse brainstem glioma typically occurs in the pons (part of the brainstem) ...

The issue There is a risk of serious complications developing after radiation treatment (radiotherapy) for cancer (late radiation tissue injury (LRTI)). These problems can be very difficult to resolve and there is some doubt as to the best approaches to treatment. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves breathing oxygen in a specially designed chamber. ...

Background A primary brain tumour (PBT) is a cancer that began in the brain rather than spread from other parts of the body. Fatigue (tiredness) is common in people with a PBT. This may be due to the tumour, its treatment or to the use of other medicines such as antiepileptic drugs (which are used to treat epilepsy seizures). It may also occur with ...

Despite the development of new treatment options, the prognosis of high-risk neuroblastoma patients still remains poor; in more than half of patients the disease returns. Stem cell rescue replaces blood-forming stem cells that were destroyed by high-dose chemotherapy in order to recover the bone marrow. It is also known as myeloablative therapy and ...

Background and rationale Neuroblastoma is a childhood tumour that can be visualized by a specific nuclear imaging compound, called metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I -MIBG). ¹²³I-MIBG-imaging is not only important for the diagnosis of neuroblastoma, but also for localization of metastases (spread of the disease to other organs). Sometimes, the neuroblastoma ...