Molecular Considerations and Evolving Surgical Management Issues in the Treatment of Patients with a Brain Tumor

Abstract

is a practicing neurosurgeon. He has a number of research interests, and his brain tumor work is largely focused on the development of a DNA vaccine for treatment of primary and metastatic intracerebral tumors. In particular Dr. Lichtor has shown that vaccines prepared by transfer of DNA from the tumor into a highly immunogenic cell line encompass the array of tumor antigens that characterize the patient's population. Poorly immunogenic tumor antigens, characteristic of malignant cells, can become strongly antigenic if they are expressed by highly immunogenic cells. The introduction of the vaccine directly into the tumor bed of animals with an intracerebral tumor stimulates a systemic cellular anti-tumor immune response associated with a prolongation of survival. It is hopeful that this vaccine strategy will be efficacious in the treatments of patients with brain tumors. Dr. Lichtor is a member of the neurosurgery faculty at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, USA.