A Progress in Neurological Surgery

Chang-ting Meng

Department of Oncology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China

Current and Future Management of Brain Metastasis is a well-written book by Kim Dong Gyu and L. Dade Lunsford. It is interesting that the gradual increase of brain metastasis incidence rate is associated with the development of cancer diagnosis, the screening level of brain metastasis, the growth of cancer survivor population, and the prolongation of survival time. In the past, the survival period of brain metastasis was often less than 6 months. Because of the limited benefits of systemic chemotherapy, whole brain radiotherapy has become the standard treatment of brain metastasis. However, the patients who survive more than 6 months will have to pay a significant price. As side effects of whole brain radiotherapy, white matter lesions and cognitive function decay may gradually emerge. The cur- rent treatment of brain metastasis pays more attention to quality of life than to prolonging survival period by palli- ative treatment. In the last two decades, stereotactic radiotherapy has become an important technology in brain metastasis treatment, with no rivals at present.

Current and Future Management of Brain Metastasis introduces the latest development in brain metastasis treat- ment, on the basis of the background of brain metastasis including the epidemiology, pathology, surgery, radiother- apy, chemotherapy, steroid treatment, radiological surgery of brain metastasis. In each chapter, the authors elaborate the application of radiology treatment in brain metastasis originating from different cancers including lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, malignant melanoma, etc., and management of side effects. Every chapter presents literature review and outlooks of treatment. It also intro- duces the stereotactic radiotherapy for brain metastasis, management of complicated brain metastasis cases, and treatment for recurrent cases after stereotactic radio- therapy.

This book is rich in content and comprehensive with clear graphics and illustrations. It describes numerous practical cases and cites abundant literature. There is no doubt that this book will share valuable experience with practitioners of clinical oncology and provide technological guidance in clinical treatment of brain metastasis, thus offering more therapeutic opportunity for patients with advanced brain metastasis.