The excellent studies of numerous neuroscientists working in both basic and clinical research have yielded a significant number of highly interesting scientific insights in nervous system structure and function especially during the so-called “decade of the brain”. To review the wealth of new data is a difficult task even in the presence of electronic retrieval methods and modern means of communication. The decision to publish this book is based on the necessity to present relevant scientific discoveries in a defined area of the neurosciences in a compact and easy to read format. This is the more important as a review of the progress in different disciplines may stimulate collaboration between researchers in the field of neurooncology and thus facilitate the development of new techniques and strategies in the fight against malignant neurogenic tumours.

Contents
General considerations: Tumour-specific and tumour-associated antigens – Immunological mechanisms of tumour cell destruction – Nonrandom immune escape of glioma cells by immune editing
Brain tumour immunology: CNS – immune system interplay under normal and pathological conditions – Expression of brain associated antigens in neuroepithelial cells – Immune biology of microglia in gliomas – HLA class I antigen, antigen processing machinery component and NK cell ligand changes in astrocytic tumors: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications – Immune status of glioma patients.
Glioma associated antigens: Glioma associated antigens in experimental rat brain tumours defined by monoclonal antibodies – Monoclonal antibody treatment of experimental Gliomas – Glioma cell lines established from human brain tumours – Generation of monoclonal antibodies against human glioma associated antigens and their clinical relevance – Expression of glioma associated antigens in human gliomas and glioma cell lines demonstrated by monoclonal antibodies – Optimizing monoclonal antibodies for application in patients – Radioimmunoscintigraphy of gliomas: Radioimmunoimaging of human glioma xenografts in athymic mude mice.
Applications of monoclonal antibodies in clinical neurooncology: Inhibition of glioma angiogenesis by monoclonal antibodies – Radioimmunodetection and radioimmunotherapy of human gliomas.