About this Research Topic
Despite the undoubted progress made in recent years, brain and CNS tumors still represent the most complex conditions in the fields of neurology and oncology. While the incidence of these neoplasms is quite rare when compared to other types of cancer, their high mortality and morbidity for any age group, as well as the low survival rates, make them an important public health concern worldwide.
In addition, the lack of apparent signs in the initial stages and the frequent resistance to chemotherapy pose significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Even the discovery of new effective compounds has turned out to be more difficult than expected, because of efficacy-, selectivity-, or physicochemical property-related issues. For all these reasons, we have not achieved satisfactory results in the clinical practice of these pathologies yet.
Thus, it is certainly time to change the current paradigm, in particular for more difficult-to-treat tumors like these: cancer is now seen as a series of systemic diseases, with a great potential for tailored approaches. This is due to the unique biochemical and molecular profiles that can be obtained, which require personalized responses. Brain and CNS tumors, that exhibit a very high intra-tumoral heterogeneity, are probably the best setting in this sense.
The implementation of artificial intelligence and omics sciences techniques and principles to diagnosis, treatment and care, from bench to bedside, could help researchers and physicians to achieve milestone goals, really leading to a revolution in each of these areas. Neuro-oncology needs new biomarkers, newly discovered or repurposed drugs, innovative medical algorithms based on evidences, and these are just some of the many findings that could come to light.
Scientists are also called not to forget the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic: the information medicine, based on DNA and RNA strings and intrinsically founded on AI and omics toolboxes, are today at its highest maturity and it could help unleash the power and precision of the immune system against these elusive tumors.
In addition, the lack of apparent signs in the initial stages and the frequent resistance to chemotherapy pose significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Even the discovery of new effective compounds has turned out to be more difficult than expected, because of efficacy-, selectivity-, or physicochemical property-related issues. For all these reasons, we have not achieved satisfactory results in the clinical practice of these pathologies yet.
Thus, it is certainly time to change the current paradigm, in particular for more difficult-to-treat tumors like these: cancer is now seen as a series of systemic diseases, with a great potential for tailored approaches. This is due to the unique biochemical and molecular profiles that can be obtained, which require personalized responses. Brain and CNS tumors, that exhibit a very high intra-tumoral heterogeneity, are probably the best setting in this sense.
The implementation of artificial intelligence and omics sciences techniques and principles to diagnosis, treatment and care, from bench to bedside, could help researchers and physicians to achieve milestone goals, really leading to a revolution in each of these areas. Neuro-oncology needs new biomarkers, newly discovered or repurposed drugs, innovative medical algorithms based on evidences, and these are just some of the many findings that could come to light.
Scientists are also called not to forget the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic: the information medicine, based on DNA and RNA strings and intrinsically founded on AI and omics toolboxes, are today at its highest maturity and it could help unleash the power and precision of the immune system against these elusive tumors.
Keywords: Brain tumors, CNS tumors, Neuro-oncology, High mortality, Low survival rates, Chemotherapy resistance, Personalized medicine, Intra-tumoral heterogeneity, Artificial intelligence, Omics sciences
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