Transpedicular Corpectomy in Minimally Invasive Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression: A Single-Center Series.

Introduction The role of separation surgery in managing symptomatic spinal metastases has been increasing in recent years, and it represents a crucial part of the definitive management of this condition. Methods We report on a series of seven patients treated at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico using minimally invasive approaches to perform transpedicular corpectomy. The goal was to obtain a margin of tumor-free tissue, enabling the completion of oncological treatment with radiotherapy.

Relative cerebral blood volume as response predictor in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma with anti-angiogenic therapy.

Background: Glioblastoma is one of the most common brain tumors in adult populations, usually carrying a poor prognosis. While several studies have researched the impact of anti-angiogenic therapies, especially anti-VEFG treatments in glioblastoma, few have attempted to assess its progress using imaging studies.

Purpose: We attempted to analyze whether relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) from dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI (DSC-MRI) could predict response in patients with glioblastoma undergoing Bevacizumab (BVZ) treatment.

Epidemiology of Intracranial Meningiomas in Mexico: Cohort of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery During the Last Decade.

Introduction Meningiomas have been described as slow-growing neoplasms with benign behavior derived from the connective tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas represent one-third of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially classified them into three groups based on their histopathological characteristics, recently incorporating molecular patterns.

Assessing the Malignancy Risk of a Meningioma by Its Location.

Background: Meningiomas represent 30% of primary intracranial tumors. The current incidence is up to 4.5 cases per 100,000 habitants worldwide.

Reconversion of neurosurgical practice in times of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a narrative review of the literature and guideline implementation in a Mexican neurosurgical referral center.

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced the modification of surgical practice worldwide. Medical centers have been adapted to provide an efficient arrangement of their economic and human resources. Although neurosurgeons are not in the first line of management and treatment of COVID-19 patients, they take care of patients with neurological pathology and potential severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Therapeutic Potential of Ultrasound Neuromodulation in Decreasing Neuropathic Pain: Clinical and Experimental Evidence.

Background: For more than seven decades, ultrasound has been used as an imaging and diagnostic tool. Today, new technologies, such as focused ultrasound (FUS) neuromodulation, have revealed some innovative, potential applications. However, those applications have been barely studied to deal with neuropathic pain (NP), a cluster of chronic pain syndromes with a restricted response to conventional pharmaceuticals.

Role of Overweight, Obesity, and Comorbidities in the Prognosis of Patients With Breast Cancer With Brain Metastases.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, and the incidence of brain metastasis (BM) from BC ranges from 20% to 30%, with a median survival of 10 to 15 months. Previous reports have shown that the presence of obesity or diabetes negatively impacts survival. The present study investigates the association between obesity or diabetes mellitus (DM) and overall survival of patients with BC with BM.

The Comparative Treatment of Intraventricular Chemotherapy by Ommaya Reservoir vs. Lumbar Puncture in Patients With Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis.

Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis (LCM) represents a state of systemic malignant disease with poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to compare overall survival (OS) between intraventricular chemotherapy through Ommaya reservoir (OR) and chemotherapy through lumbar puncture (LP) in LCM. Forty adult patients with LCM were included.

Fractal anatomy of the hippocampal formation.

Purpose: We believed that the hippocampal complex is a fractal, and we try to demonstrate it.

Methods: We selected 12 magnetic resonance (MR) studies from healthy brains. Five women and 7 men without neurological or psychiatric disease were analyzed.

Primary Tumors of the Central Nervous System. Clinical Experience at a Third Level Center.

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are a group of neoplasms that originate from various cells in the CNS. The increasing incidence and prevalence of this type of tumor in developing countries are striking; however, there are few current studies in Latin America including Mexico estimating the impact of these pathological entities on the general population.

Objective: The objective of the study was to study the characteristics of primary CNS tumors over a period of 52 years.

Factors associated with long-term survival in central nervous system metastases.

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide; central nervous system metastases (CNSm) are amongst the most common complications of cancer and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to associate clinic and oncologic characteristics with the possibility of survival for ≥ 1 year.

Materials And Methods: A prospective cohort in two referral centers recollected clinical and oncologic data from patients diagnosed with CNSm.

Clinical manifestations and location of brain metastases as prognostic markers.

Background: Brain metastases (BM) are a frequent complication of cancer and are regularly seen in clinical practice. New treatment modalities are improving survival after diagnosis of BM. However, symptoms are rarely reported and their significance is not well established.

Cytotoxicity induced by carbon nanotubes in experimental malignant glioma.

Despite multiple advances in the diagnosis of brain tumors, there is no effective treatment for glioblastoma. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), which were previously used as a diagnostic and drug delivery tool, have now been explored as a possible therapy against neoplasms. However, although the toxicity profile of nanotubes is dependent on the physicochemical characteristics of specific particles, there are no studies exploring how the effectivity of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is affected by different methods of production.

Methotrexate and temozolomide versus methotrexate, procarbazine, vincristine, and cytarabine for primary CNS lymphoma in an elderly population: an intergroup ANOCEF-GOELAMS randomised phase 2 trial.

Background: No standard chemotherapy regimen exists for primary CNS lymphoma, reflecting an absence of randomised studies. We prospectively tested two promising methotrexate-based regimens, one more intensive and a milder regimen, for primary CNS lymphoma in the elderly population, who account for most patients.

Methods: In this open-label, randomised phase 2 trial, done in 13 French institutions, we enrolled immunocompetent patients who had neuroimaging and histologically confirmed newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma, were aged 60 years and older, and had a Karnofsky performance scale score of 40 or more.

[First Mexican consensus on recommendations of the multidisciplinary care of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM): Mexican Interdisciplinary Group on Neuro-Oncology Research (GIMINO)].

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most aggressive central nervous system tumors and with worse prognosis. Until now,treatments have managed to significantly increase the survival of these patients, depending on age, cognitive status, and autonomy of the individuals themselves. Based on these parameters, both initial or recurrence treatments are performed, as well as monitoring of disease by imaging studies.

[Anti-N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDAR): a case report].

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDAR) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by neuropsychiatric symptoms, hyperkinetic movements, and even central hypoventilation. Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is a recently described disease, but is already considered one of the most frequent etiologies of noninfectious encephalitis. We report the case of 16-year-old man in which it the presence of anti-NMDAR antibodies in the absence of a neoplasm was identified.

Primary leptomeningeal lymphoma: International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group report.

Objective: To evaluate clinical presentation, optimal diagnostic evaluation and treatment, and outcome in primary leptomeningeal lymphoma, a rare form of primary CNS lymphoma without parenchymal or systemic involvement.

Methods: The International Primary CNS Lymphoma Collaborative Group, a multidisciplinary group of physicians with a particular interest in primary CNS lymphoma, retrospectively identified cases of lymphoma isolated to the leptomeninges as diagnosed by CSF cytology, flow cytometry, or biopsy, without systemic or parenchymal brain/spinal cord lymphoma or immunodeficiency.

Results: Forty-eight patients were identified, with median age at diagnosis of 51 years and median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 2.

Recurrent mutations of MYD88 and TBL1XR1 in primary central nervous system lymphomas.

Purpose: Our objective was to identify the genetic changes involved in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) oncogenesis and evaluate their clinical relevance.

Experimental Design: We investigated a series of 29 newly diagnosed, HIV-negative, PCNSL patients using high-resolution single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays (n = 29) and whole-exome sequencing (n = 4) approaches. Recurrent homozygous deletions and somatic gene mutations found were validated by quantitative real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing, respectively.

Response assessment in recurrent glioblastoma treated with irinotecan-bevacizumab: comparative analysis of the Macdonald, RECIST, RANO, and RECIST + F criteria.

Traditionally, the most widely used criteria for response assessment in glioblastoma have been Macdonald and the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST). Recently, new criteria addressing contrast enhancement and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)/T2 hyperintensity have been defined (the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria) to better evaluate the effect of antiangiogenic therapy. Whether FLAIR/T2 imaging could also be helpful to refine RECIST criteria remains unresolved.

The management of primary central nervous system lymphoma related to AIDS in the HAART era.

Purpose Of Review: The review highlights the recent advances in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of AIDS-related primary CNS lymphoma (AIDS-PCNSL).

Recent Findings: The incidence of AIDS-PCNSL has decreased in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The prognosis has improved and this most probably in relation both with the HAART-induced immunologic status recovery and subsequently the possibility to use more aggressive treatment strategies.