Surgical management of brain metastases

• Published in: Neurosurgery clinics of North America Vol. 22; no. 1; p. 53
• Main Authors: Kellner, Christopher P, D'Ambrosio, Anthony L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Brain - pathology; Brain - surgery; Brain Neoplasms - mortality; Brain Neoplasms - secondary; Brain Neoplasms - surgery; Evidence-Based Medicine - methods; Evidence-Based Medicine - standards; Evidence-Based Medicine - trends; Humans; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; Neurosurgical Procedures - standards; Neurosurgical Procedures - trends
• ISSN: 1558-1349
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nec.2010.08.003

In the past 20 years, surgical resection has found an established role in the management of metastatic brain tumors. Several factors, however, make strong evidence-based medicine impossible to provide for all possible patient presentations. These important factors, such as patient variables (eg, age, medical comorbidities, preoperative performance), tumor variables (eg, number, size, location, histology), and primary disease status must be taken into account on a case-by-case basis to guide patient selection and treatment strategy. Although progress has been made to answer some of the major questions in the management of metastatic brain tumors, several important questions remain. Future studies comparing surgery with stereotactic radiosurgery, for example, are needed to delineate patient selection, complications, and outcome for both of these important modalities.