Tumors of the nervous system represent a difficult therapeutic challenge. During recent years, substantial progress has been made in characterizing genetic mechnisms involved in the formation of brain tumors. There is a lot of hope that an understanding of the molecular basis of transformation will eventually lead to specific therapeutic approaches. In this volume, leading authorities in both molecular and clinical neuro-oncology summarize recent developments in their respective fields. The first part of the book will focus on specific molecular genetic defects in neural tumors and their...