title: Tumor-associated edema in brain cancer patients: pathogenesis and management.
abstract: The long-term treatment of peritumoral edema remains a major challenge in clinical neuro-oncology. Steroids have been and will remain the backbone of any anti-edematous therapy because of their striking activity, convenient oral administration and also because of their cost-effectiveness. Their side effects, however, can compromise quality of life, particularly upon continuous administration. Therapeutic alternatives which may replace or - at least - help to reduce the steroid dose are limited. However, with the development of new agents such as corticorelin acetate, there is a hope that steroid-induced side effects can be delayed and reduced. The administration of anti-angiogenic agents with steroid-sparing effects, for example, bevacizumab, is limited due to their costs. Increased knowledge on boswellic acids and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors which are available for clinical application may help to exploit their anti-edema activity more efficiently in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Regli
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonder
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weller
mesh_terms: D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019468:Disease Management; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids