Surgical Management of Recurrent Intracranial Gliomas

Abstract

In cases of recurrent gliomas, the treatment options are limited and not yet standardized. Choices usually include re-operation, systemic chemotherapy, salvage re-irradiation, and supportive care, which can be used either separately or in combination. From a surgical perspective, management of recurrent brain tumor poses a significant challenge, as the desire to attain aggressive lesion resection must be balanced against the need to preserve neurological functions and to maximize the quality of life. Additionally, specific practical difficulties in performing repeat craniotomies and significant risk of perioperative morbidity in such cases necessitate careful selection of the optimal candidates for surgery.