[Cell cultures of human CNS tumors as in vitro model for individualized therapeutic approach]. / Kletochnye kul'tury opukholei TsNS cheloveka kak in vitro model' dlya individual'nogo podkhoda k terapii.

Tumor cell lines and cultures are widely used in biomedical research. They are excellent model systems for analysis of oncological mechanisms and understanding the biology of tumor cells. Cell cultures are used to develop and test new anticancer drugs, radiosensitizers and radiotherapy methods. Clinical application of tumor cell cultures is directly related to development of personalized medicine. Using tumor cell culture in a particular patient, physicians can select treatment considering molecular genetic characteristics of patient and tumor. In addition, it is possible to choose the optimal drug or radiotherapy regimen with obvious effectiveness in certain cell culture. This review describes the advantages of such an approach.

[Principles of biobanking and biobanks of central nervous system tumors in world practice]. / Printsipy biobankirovaniya i biobanki opukholei nervnoi sistemy v mirovoi praktike.

Biobanks of central nervous system tumors are created in parallel with development of modern technologies for evaluation of molecular features of human diseases. In modern world practice, no one doubts that creation of biobanks of tumors is necessary and critical for personalized medicine. An important aspect of recent improvements in biobanks has been the expansion of tumor sample storage conditions. Development of cell technologies has made it possible to create cell cultures from tumor material that made it possible to evaluate further therapy before affecting the patient himself. Biobanks have become especially attractive in the study of brain tumors, where the peculiarity of location and blood-brain barrier complicate treatment approaches. This review describes the approaches to creation of biobanks of CNS tumors in world practice, sample storage conditions, ethical and legal regulation of biobanks, as well as experience of biobanking in different countries.

[Biopsy and resection of skull base tumors using transorbital endoscopic approaches: primary results]. / Biopsiia i udalenie novoobrazovanii osnovaniia cherepa s primeneniem transorbital'nykh éndoskopicheskikh dostupov: pervye rezul'taty.

AIM: Transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery is a new skull base surgery technique that uses the orbit as an artificial corridor to the anterior and middle skull base. The space is created between the periorbita and orbital walls by their additional resection and gentle traction of the orbital contents. Skull base structures are reached using cosmetic incisions. The major advantages of transorbital endoscopic approaches include their variety, possibility of their combination, and access to the central and lateral skull base lesions. The aim of this study was to analyze the primary results of transorbital endoscopic biopsy and resection of skull base lesions, which were performed at the N.N. Burdenko National Medical Research Center for Neurosurgery (Moscow, Russia). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2017-2018, the authors operated on 12 patients with skull base lesions using transorbital endoscopic approaches. The series included ten female and two male patients. The patient's age varied between 24 and 78 years. All patients were admitted for the first time. Half of them underwent biopsy, while the other half underwent tumor resection. The upper-lateral transorbital approach with an eyebrow incision was used in most (8/12) patients; the retrocaruncular approach was used in two cases; the lateral retrocanthal approach was applied in one case; the upper-medial approach with an eyebrow incision was used in one patient. RESULTS: The histological diagnosis was established in all six biopsies: 3 pseudotumors, 2 WHO Grade I meningiomas, and 1 clear-cell kidney cancer. Tumor resection was successful in 5 out of 6 patients; repeated surgery was required in one patient. In one case, the transorbital approach was combined with the transnasal one for treatment of supraorbital mucocele. One patient developed a persistent neurological deficit (dysfunction of the fifth and sixth nerves) after upper-lateral transorbital surgery. There were no poor cosmetic results in the series. CONCLUSION: Transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery needs an interdisciplinary approach and a sufficient amount of surgical experience. Surgical skills setting includes microsurgical and endoscopic tumor resection, harvesting and positioning of free and vascularized grafts for skull base reconstruction and prevention of postoperative enophthalmos, and facial incisions and their cosmetic closure. Implementation of new local vascularized flaps may significantly improve the results of transorbital endoscopic procedures and extend the spectrum of indications.

[Neurological semiotics of benign craniofacial tumors]. / Nevrologicheskaia semiotika dobrokachestvennykh kraniofatsial'nykh opukholei.

AIM: To identify the most frequently occurring symptoms resulting from the affection of internal and external skull base in patients with benign tumors of the anterior and middle cranial base. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors analyzed a complex of history, clinical, and instrumental data as well as results of combined treatment of 642 patients with benign tumors of the anterior and middle cranial base operated Medical Research between 2007 and 2011. RESULTS: Neurological signs and symptoms in patients with benign tumors of the anterior cranial base, parasellar region, and middle cranial fossa were studied. In the majority of cases, the tumor extended extracranially. The most common groups of symptoms were identified and described, the most important groups are presented in the diagrams. The proposed scheme is applicable also for malignant tumors or other mass lesions of the same localization. CONCLUSION: Effective treatment and selection of the best management of a patient depends on modern medical approaches and techniques including neuroimaging. Careful assessment of symptoms is crucial in detection of tumors in the early stage. Dynamic monitoring of the patient using the proposed scheme will contribute to early detection of tumor recurrence or progression.

Laser biospectroscopy and 5-ALA fluorescence navigation as a helpful tool in the meningioma resection.

5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a natural precursor of protoporphyrin IX (PP IX), which possesses fluorescent properties and is more intensively accumulated in tumor cells than in normal tissue. Therefore, the use of 5-ALA in the surgical treatment of intracranial tumors, particularly gliomas, has gained popularity in the last years, whereas its use in other intracranial pathological entities including meningiomas has been reported occasionally. This study describes a series of 28 patients with intracranial meningiomas, who were administered 5-ALA for a better visualization of tumor boundaries. Twelve patients underwent also laser spectroscopic analysis in order to confirm the visual impression of tumor tissue visualization. Bone infiltration was readily demonstrated. In one case, the tumor recurrence could have been prevented by removal of a tumor remnant, which would possibly have been better recognized if spectroscopic analysis had been used. Fluorescent navigation (FN) is a useful method for maximizing the radicality of meningioma surgery, particularly if the tumor infiltrates the bone, the skull base, and/or the surrounding structures.