Preface

**Section 4 Recent Trends 201**

**VI** Contents

Chapter 8 **Modern Management of Craniopharyngioma 203** Anirudh Penumaka and Ekkehard Kasper

Chapter 10 **Role of an Alternatively Spliced KCNMA1 Variant in**

Divya Khaitan, Nagendra Ningaraj and Lincy B. Joshua

Chapter 9 **Stem Cell Research for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma 213**

**Glioma Growth 227**

Ryota Tamura and Masahiro Toda

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, brain tumor categories include tumors arising from neuroepithelial tissue, from cranial and paraspinal nerves, from meninges, lymphomas and hematopoietic neoplasms, and germ cell tumors, from the sellar region, and metastatic tumors arising from the other body regions. Tumors involving the central nervous system are difficult to treat and are one of the leading causes of dispropor‐ tionate morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many of the studies have investigated these facts and suggested that there is an increasing trend in the incidence of brain tumors (possi‐ bly due to environmental/lifestyle risk factors, increase in life expectancy, or advancements in imaging techniques).

An understanding of the ongoing research, any change in trends in the incidence of brain tumors, approach to these patients, new management, and knowledge of evolving concepts has importance in clinical and public health because it will help us to improve patient out‐ comes. This book is a unique collection of material, which encompasses various areas of brain tumor–related information. The book consists of 10 chapters, including Role of an Alternative‐ ly Spliced KCNMA1 Variant in Glioma Growth, Primary Brain Tumors in Childhood, Medul‐ loblastoma, Stem Cell Research for the Treatment of Malignant Glioma, Vestibular Schwannoma: Microsurgery or Radiosurgery, Modern Management of Craniopharyngioma, Trigeminal Schwannomas, Current Trends in Glioblastoma Treatment, Neuropsychiatry:As‐ pects of Childhood Cranial Tumors, and Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

The efforts to search better treatment protocols and to improve outcome in patients' brain tumors shall continue, and accordingly, there will be more information available to develop more effective management strategies to deal with brain tumors. This book is an attempt to fulfill all these objectives and is an effort to share the experiences from clinical practice and research.

#### **Dr. Amit Agrawal (MCh)**

Professor of Neurosurgery Department of Neurosurgery Narayana Medical College Hospital Chinthareddypalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India

**Dr. Luis Rafael Moscote-Salazar** Neurosurgery-Critical Care Red Latino, Organización Latinoamericana de Trauma y Cuidado Neurointensivo

Bogota, Colombia

**Section 1**

**Gliomas**

**Section 1**
