Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors From Preclinical Studies to Advanced Therapies

This book offers an update about peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNST), both in their benign and malignant forms (MPNST).
Starting from the most innovative preclinical studies about genetic and omics characterization, it then explores the traditional and advanced imaging modalities (ultrasound, DTI, etc) and the electrophysiological assessment. Another relevant part is reserved to the description of the most recent surgical techniques (fluorescent dye for intraoperative surgical guidance, neurophysiological monitoring, esoscopic view). Finally, new oral treatment for PNST related to neurocutaneous diseases (as selumetinib in plexiform neurofibromas) is described.  
Written by worldwide experts in each specifical field, if offers a multidisciplinary vision to PNST, approaching the topic in a translational way, from preclinical studies to the current medical practice.
The ideal readers are all health operators involved in the treatment of these tumors- from neurosurgeons to radiologists, neurologists, geneticists, biologists, etc) as well as medical students in these disciplines.

Overview on sporadic and NF-related tumors.- Natural history and clinical evolution of PNST in neurofibromatosi.- Advancement in genetic and molecular landscapes.- Multi-omic analyses for biomarker discovery and characterization of PNST.- Preclinical NF1-PNST models and potential drug resistance mechanism.- MRI in the diagnosis of PNST: state-of-the-art and recent advancements.- Developing the role of molecular imaging PET in PNST.- A clinical summary of PNST in adults.- Clinical assessment of tumor predisposition syndromes - related nerve sheath tumors in children.- IOUS and CEUS in PNS tumor.- Neurophysiological evaluation and intraoperative neurophysiology monitoring in peripheral nervous system tumor.- Surgical management of peripheral nerve sheath tumors.- Surgical Management of Pediatric PNS.- Fluorescent-guided surgery of PNST.- Esoscope in PNS tumors surgery.- Preserving nerve function and reconstruction in MPNS tumors.- New oral chemotherapy and MEK inhibitor (and other treatments for benign PNST).- Systemic treatment in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: current practice and future possibilities.- Proton and carbon ion therapy for MPNST.- Radiomics and machine learning in PNST.

Dr. Vetrano is a neurosurgeon working at the Neurological Institute Carlo Besta of Milan, a tertiary national referral center with high volume of peripheral nerve tumors patients. His research is focused on the understanding of preclinical (omics-based) and in vivo pathophysiological mechanisms of such disease through advanced intraoperative imaging with fluorescent tracers and ultrasonographic contrast medium. He  closely collaborates with the institutional pediatric and adult neurofibromatosis center. He is associated editor for Scientific Reports  and Frontiers (Neuro-Oncology and Neurosurgical Oncology),  reviewer for  the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Topic Editor for Pharmaceutical, and ad hoc reviewer for several international indexed journals: PloS One, World Neurosurgery, Journal of Clinical Neurosciences, Child’s Nervous System, Cancers, Cells, BMC Neurology, and others. 

Dr.Vittoria Nazzi is the head of Functional Neurosurgery and Peripheral Nerve Unit at the Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta