Publications by authors named "Leonardo Lustgarten"

Article Synopsis
  • - Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy involves a noninvasive device that applies alternating electric fields to tumors via skin arrays, and it is FDA-approved for glioblastoma and granted CE-mark for grade 4 glioma.
  • - The therapy disrupts cancer cell processes (like mitosis and DNA replication) and enhances the immune response, showing efficacy across various patient demographics with a manageable safety profile.
  • - New clinical studies are exploring TTFields therapy in combination with immunotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as in pediatric patients and other cancers, illustrating its potential as an adjunct treatment in oncology.
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Article Synopsis
  • Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy is a noninvasive cancer treatment approved for adults with glioblastoma, but its safety in patients with cardiac pacemakers is not well-studied.
  • This case report details a 79-year-old male with glioblastoma who had a pacemaker, underwent TTFields therapy alongside other treatments, and experienced stable disease for a period.
  • Despite the eventual progression of his illness and death, the report indicates that TTFields therapy may be safe for patients with implanted cardiac devices.
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Introduction: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields, 200 kHz) therapy is a noninvasive, locoregional cancer treatment approved for use in newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM), recurrent GBM, and malignant pleural mesothelioma. GBM patients with hydrocephalus may require implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, however, the current TTFields therapy label does not include the use of VP shunts in GBM patients due to insufficient safety data. This analysis evaluates the safety of TTFields therapy use in this population.

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Background: Colloid cysts of the third ventricle are epithelium-lined mucus-filled cysts usually occurring in the anterosuperior third ventricle. They are benign, slow-growing lesions but with the risk of sudden death. Treatment alternatives for symptomatic cysts include stereotactic aspiration, microsurgical or endoscopic approaches, and shunts for hydrocephalus.

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Although there is an ongoing debate about the ideal management of vestibular schwannomas, radiosurgical treatment has become popular in the past decade with good to excellent results reported. Given the young age at presentation, the bilateral nature of vestibular schwanomas, the presence of other associated central nervous system tumors, patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) are very complex and present significant management challenges. Although results do not seem to be as good as for patients with sporadic unilateral tumors, stereotactic radiosurgery has proven a safe, attractive, and effective management modality for NF2 vestibular schwannomas.

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Background: Patients with advanced skin cancer present a unique challenge to neurosurgeons. Treatment involves aggressive surgical intervention and lengthy reconstructive procedures with considerable morbidity to obtain adequate and safe oncological margins. We reviewed our experience with BioGlue Surgical Adhesive, a protein-based adhesive, as an adjunct in free tissue transfer procedures to prevent CSF leakage and seroma formation.

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