Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO): more than imaging criteria for malignant glioma

Abstract The introduction of antiangiogenic therapies for the treatment of malignant glioma and the effect of these agents on standard imaging studies were the stimuli for forming a small group of investigators to critically evaluate the limitations of the Macdonald criteria in assessing response to treatment. The initial goal of this group was to highlight the challenges in accurately determining the efficacy of therapeutic interventions for malignant glioma and to develop new criteria that could be implemented in clinical care as well as in the design and conduct of clinical trials. This initial Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) effort started in 2008 and over the last 7 years, it has expanded to include a critical review of response assessment across several tumor types as well as endpoint selection and trial design to improve outcome criteria for neuro-oncological trials. In this paper, we review the overarching principles of the RANO initiative and the efforts to date. We also highlight the diverse and expanding efforts of the multidisciplinary groups of investigators who have volunteered their time as part of this endeavor.