Editorial

In 2018, Minden was venue of the 27^th meeting “Experimental Neuro-Oncology” again. Scientists from pediatric oncology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, neurology, radiotherapy, pharmacology, biology and molecular biology presented their most recent work and discussed the actual topics in neuro-oncology with a main focus in pediatric tumors.

The role of molecular characterization in pediatric glioblastoma was once more one of the major topics. During the last years, increasing knowledge about the differential genetic alterations in pediatric brain tumors has been acquired due to experimental studies analyzing the tumor genetics in parallel to the histological classification. With the aid of the molecular characteristics, new tumor entities have been established in the WHO classification of brain tumors. Combining both histopathological results and molecular analysis will increase diagnostic precision. This will enable to establish individualized treatment protocols and optimize the use of targeted treatment strategies. The key note entitled “Experimental approaches to the discovery of new targets for glioblastoma therapy” was given by Prof. Dr. Björn Scheffler, leader of the department of Translational Oncology of the German Cancer Consortium in Essen. Other main topics of the meeting were new strategies in immunotherapy of brain tumors as well as new methods to increase efficacy of irradiation of brain tumors by use of experimental drugs. As in the last years, the conference was supported by the Deutsche Kinderkrebsstiftung.

The next meeting is scheduled April 26/27^th 2019.

Bernhard Erdlenbruch,
University Hospital for Children and Adolescents,
Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden,
Ruhr University Bochum, Germany