Shahab Asgharzadeh, MD

The review by Gururangan andFriedman takes an interestingand informative approach to pediatricbrain tumors in emphasizingthe possible biologic bases for chemotherapyfailure in these neoplasmsin general, and focusing on newer, asyet largely unproven, strategies employing“biologic” therapies to circumventsuch mechanisms of tumor resistance.Many of these newer treatment strategiesare drawn from the work of theauthors and others in the field of adultmalignant gliomas. To date, minimalprogress has been achieved in improvingoutcome for children with malignantsupratentorial gliomas andbrainstem tumors. Hopefully, these newstrategies will have significant benefitin pediatric as well as adult patients.