Brain tumors have a poor prognosis and progress must be made for developing efficacious treatments, but for this to occur their biology and interaction with the host must be elucidated beyond current knowledge. What has been learned from other tumors may be applied to study brain tumors, for example, the role of Hsp60, miRNAs, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the mechanisms of cell proliferation and dissemination, and resistance to immune attack and anticancer drugs. It has been established that Hsp60 increases in cancer cells, in which it occurs not only in the mitochondria but also in the cytosol and plasma-cell membrane and it is released in EVs into the extracellular space and in circulation. There is evidence suggesting that these EVs interact with cells near and far from their original cell and that this interaction has an impact on the functions of the target cell. It is assumed that this crosstalk between cancer and host cells favors carcinogenesis in various ways. We, therefore, propose to study the triad Hsp60-related miRNAs-EVs in brain tumors and have standardized methods for the purpose. These revealed that EVs with Hsp60 and related miRNAs increase in patients’ blood in a manner that reflects disease status. The means are now available to monitor brain tumor patients by measuring the triad and to dissect its effects on target cells in vitro, and in experimental models in vivo.

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Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current standard for preoperative planning of glioblastoma (GBM) surgery. However, recent data on the use of 11 C-methionine positron emission tomography ( 11 [C]-MET PET) suggest its role in providing additional information beyond MRI. The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a correlation between anatomical and metabolic data. Methods: We retrieved all GBM cases treated at our institution from 2014 to January 2021. Preoperative MRI (Enhancing Nodule -EN-, FLAIR and Total Tumor Volume -TTV-) and PET volumes were evaluated to analyze potential correlations between anatomical and metabolic data. These ndings were then correlated with pathological results obtained from the different radiological tumor regions. Results: 150 patients underwent surgery for GBM and 49 of these were also studied preoperatively with 11 [C]-MET PET; PET volume was evaluated in 47 patients. In 33 patients (70.21%) preoperative 11 [C]-MET PET volume > preoperative EN volume and in 11 (23.4%) preoperative 11 [C]-MET PET volume > preoperative TTV. We found a signi cant correlation between preoperative TTVs and PET volumes (p = 0.016) as well as between preoperative EN volumes and PET volumes (p = <0.001). Histologically, samples from ENs exhibited the conventional GBM morphology while samples from the FLAIR regions showed white matter tissue, with focal to diffuse tumor cells in ltration and areas of reactive astrogliosis. Conclusion: In our series PET volumes correlated with EN and TTV on preoperative MRI, indicating that PET should be considered in the presurgical planning to achieve a supratotal resection.

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current standard for preoperative planning of glioblastoma (GBM) surgery. However, recent data on the use of 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (11[C]-MET PET) suggest its role in providing additional information beyond MRI. The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a correlation between anatomical and metabolic data. Methods: We retrieved all GBM cases treated at our institution from 2014 to January 2021. Preoperative MRI (Enhancing Nodule -EN-, FLAIR and Total Tumor Volume -TTV-) and PET volumes were evaluated to analyze potential correlations between anatomical and metabolic data. These findings were then correlated with pathological results obtained from the different radiological tumor regions. Results: 150 patients underwent surgery for GBM and 49 of these were also studied preoperatively with 11[C]-MET PET; PET volume was evaluated in 47 patients. In 33 patients (70.21%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative EN volume and in 11 (23.4%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative TTV. We found a significant correlation between preoperative TTVs and PET volumes (p = 0.016) as well as between preoperative EN volumes and PET volumes (p = <0.001). Histologically, samples from ENs exhibited the conventional GBM morphology while samples from the FLAIR regions showed white matter tissue, with focal to diffuse tumor cells infiltration and areas of reactive astrogliosis. Conclusion: In our series PET volumes correlated with EN and TTV on preoperative MRI, indicating that PET should be considered in the presurgical planning to achieve a supratotal resection.

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