Tumor - societyns.org

Program Director Toolkit Directory

Neurosurgical Oncology
Anatomy and surgical approaches

Fundamental neuroanatomy

Cortical and functional anatomy: eloquent cortex, motor mapping, language/speech

Surgical approaches

Neuro-imaging modalities and differential diagnosis

Tractography: white matter tracts, diffuse tensor imaging (DTI)

Metabolic imaging: positron emission tomography (PET), MR spectroscopy, perfusion

Functional Imaging: functional MRI, language mapping, motor mapping

Differential diagnosis

Tumor imaging characteristics

Radiation necrosis

Non-neoplastic mass lesions: multiple sclerosis, tuberculoma, fungoma, neurocysticercosis

Intra-operative imaging: modalities, indications, extent of resection

Clinical presentation and non-surgical management

Clinical presentation: signs and symptoms, syndromes (Gerstmann, SMA, Foster-Kennedy)

Medical management: steroids and steroid withdrawal, anti-epileptics

Radiation oncology

Whole brain radiation and intensity-modulated radiation (gliomas, small cell, metastasis)

Stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiation therapy (pituitary, meningioma, schwannoma, metastasis)

Gliomas and primary CNS lymphoma

High-grade gliomas: genetics, histopathology, imaging, surgical management, extent of resection, adjuvant therapy (Stupp protocol), prognosis

Low-grade gliomas: genetics, histopathology, imaging, surgical management, adjuvant therapy, prognosis

Other: juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, ganglioglioma, gliosarcoma, Lhermitte-Duclos (dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum) - imaging, management, and prognosis

Primary CNS lymphoma: clinical presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Large B cell lymphoma: clinical presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Skull base tumors

Meningioma: genetics, histopathology, classification, clinical presentation, imaging, surgical management/approaches, adjuvant therapies (radiation), prognosis

Vestibular schwannoma: genetics, histopathology, clinical presentation, imaging, surgical management/approach, adjuvant therapy, intra-operative monitoring (BAERs)

Other: epidermoid cyst, trigeminal schwannoma, glomus jugulare tumor, dermoid cysts, lipoma, paraganglioma, hemangiopericytoma, chordoma/chondrosarcoma

Pituitary tumors

Clinical syndromes: prolactinoma, Cushing’s disease, acromegaly, MEN syndrome

Pituitary adenoma: histopathology, imaging, clinical presentation (visual field defect, hypopituitarism, apoplexy), medical and surgical management

Complications: DI, SIADH, panhypopituitarism, CSF leak, epistaxis

Pineal region tumors

Pineal parenchymal tumors: pineocytoma, pineoblastoma

Imaging, presentation (Parinaud, nystagmus hydrocephalus), surgical management, adjuvant therapy

Germ cell tumors: germinoma, embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, yolk sac endodermal sinus tumor, teratoma

Genetics, histopathology, tumor markers, surgical management, prognosis

Intraventricular tumors

Central neurocytoma: histopathology, imaging, management

Ependymoma and subependymoma: histopathology, imaging, management

Colloid cyst: histopathology, imaging, management

Choroid plexus papilloma, choroid plexus carcinoma: histopathology, imaging, management

Pediatric tumors

Supratentorial: craniopharyngioma, pinealoma, DNET

Infratentorial: pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, ependymoma, DIPG, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor

Other: neuroblastoma

Brain metastases

Common primary tumors: lung, breast, melanoma, renal cell, adenocarcinoma incidence rates

Surgical indications: solitary vs. oligo metastasis

Medical Management: immune modulation therapies

Leptomeningeal disease: imaging, management, prognosis

Neurocutaneous syndromes

Neurofibromatosis: NF-2, genetics, presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Von-Hippel Lindau: genetics, presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Tuberous sclerosis: genetics, presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Sturge-Weber: genetics, presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Cowden disease: genetics, presentation, imaging, management, prognosis

Spinal cord tumors

Chordoma and chondrosarcoma

Vertebral hemangioma

Osteoid osteoma

Other: schwannoma, meningioma, lipoma, filum terminale tumor, multiple myeloma

Complication management

Intra-operative complications: mass effect, edema, hydrocephalus

Postoperative complications: infection, hydrocephalus, venous thrombosis

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Neurosurgical Oncology

The Society of Neurological Surgeons