Neurosurgery
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The Department of Neurosurgery of the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) is a major neurosurgery program and academic leader in Australasia. In 1998, the RMH marked its 150th anniversary. The department of neurosurgery was established in 1945 under the direction of R. ⋯ There is a strong emphasis on undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, as well as clinical and laboratory research. Neurosurgery trainees are encouraged to undertake laboratory research and pursue higher academic degrees. Despite economic restraints, the department continues to grow in strength, and we remain optimistic of exciting times ahead for neurosurgery at the RMH in the new millennium.
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Despite advances in conventional therapy, the prognosis for most glioma patients remains dismal. This has prompted an intensive search for effective treatment alternatives. Immunotherapy, one such alternative, has long been recognized as a potentially potent cancer treatment but has been limited by an inadequate understanding of the immune system. Now, increased insight into immunology is suggesting more rational approaches to immunotherapy. In this article, we explore key aspects of modern immunology and discuss their implications for glioma therapy. ⋯ Modern molecular biology and immunology techniques have yielded a wealth of new data about glioma immunobiology. Armed with this information, many investigators have proposed novel means to stimulate antiglioma immune responses. Although definitive clinical results remain to be seen, the current renaissance in glioma immunology and immunotherapy shows great promise for the future.