PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

John C Flickinger

Publications and source records attributed to John C Flickinger.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Gamma knife radiosurgery for trigeminal schwannomas.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal schwannomas are uncommon tumors that may be microsurgically removed in selected cases, albeit with significant risk for new neurological morbidity. We evaluated the role of stereotactic radiosurgery as an alternative for patients with newly diagnosed or residual trigeminal schwannomas. METHODS: The records of 23 patients who underwent radiosurgery for trigeminal schwannoma were reviewed. The most frequent presenting symptoms were facial numbness (11 patients), diplopia (6 patients), and facial pain (3 patients). One patient presented with partial complex seizures as the first symptom. Twelve patients had undergone one or more prior resections. Eleven underwent radiosurgery on the basis of imaging diagnosis only. The mean tumor volume was 4.5 mL (range 0.46-11.2 cc). Radiosurgery was performed using a median marginal dose of 15 Gy (range, 13-20 Gy). RESULTS: At a median imaging follow-up of 40 months (range, 12-146), 20 of 22 evaluable patients (91%) had tumor growth control (regression in 15 and no further tumor growth in 5). One 80-year-old patient died of unrelated cause 4 months after radiosurgery. Two patients with enlarged tumors were treated effectively with repeat radiosurgery. Twelve of 23 patients (52%) reported improvement and 9 (39%) had no change in their symptoms. Two patients noted new neurological complaints (transient facial weakness in 1 patient and worsening of the preradiosurgery facial numbness in another patient). CONCLUSIONS: Radiosurgery is an effective minimally invasive management option for patients with residual or newly diagnosed trigeminal schwannomas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Experimental radiobiological investigations into radiosurgery: present understanding and future directions.

LARS LEKSELL BEGAN radiobiological investigations to study the effect of high-dose focused radiation on the central nervous system more than 5 decades ago. Although the effects of radiosurgery on the brain tumor microenvironment are still under investigation, radiosurgery has become a preferred management modality for many intracranial tumors and vascular malformations. The effects and the pathogenesis of biological effects after radiosurgery may be unique. The need for basic research concerning the radiobiological effects of high-dose, single-fraction, ionizing radiation on nervous system tissue is crucial. Information from those studies would be useful in devising strategies to avoid, prevent, or ameliorate damage to normal tissue without compromising treatment efficacy. The development of future applications of radiosurgery will depend on an increase in our understanding of the radiobiology of radiosurgery, which in turn will affect the efficacy of treatment. This article analyzes the current state of radiosurgery research with regard to the nature of central nervous system effects, the techniques developed to increase therapeutic efficacy, investigations into the use of radiosurgery for functional disorders, radiosurgery as a tool for investigations into basic central nervous system biology, and the additional areas that require further investigation.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Stereotactic radiosurgery for brainstem arteriovenous malformations: factors affecting outcome.

OBJECT: Management options for arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brainstem are limited. The long-term results of stereotactic radiosurgery for these disease entities are poorly understood. In this report the authors reviewed both neurological and radiological outcomes following stereotactic radiosurgery for brainstem AVMs over 15 years of experience. METHODS: Fifty patients with brainstem AVMs underwent gamma knife surgery between 1987 and 2002. There were 29 male and 21 female patients with an age range of 7 to 79 years (median 35 years). Anatomical locations of these AVMs included the midbrain (39 lesions), pons (20 lesions), and medulla oblongata (three lesions). The radiation dose applied to the margin of the AVM varied from 12 to 26 Gy (median 20 Gy). Forty-five patients were followed up from 5 to 176 months (mean 72 months). The angiographically confirmed actuarial obliteration rate was 66% at the final follow-up examination. Two patients experienced a hemorrhage before obliteration. The annual hemorrhage rate was 1.7% for the first 3 years after radiosurgery and 0% thereafter. Patients who had received irradiation at two or fewer isocenters had higher obliteration rates (80% compared with 44% for > two isocenters, p = 0.006), and this was related to a more spherical nidus shape. The rate of persistent neurological complications in patients treated using magnetic resonance imaging-based dose planning after 1993 was 7%, compared with 20% in patients treated before 1993. An older patient age, a lesion located in the tectum, and a higher radiosurgery-based score were significantly associated with greater neurological complications. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery provided complete obliteration of AVMs in two thirds of the patients with a low risk of latency-interval hemorrhage. Better three-dimensional imaging studies and conformal dose planning reduced the risk of adverse radiation effects. Younger patients harboring more spherical AVMs that did not involve the tectal plate had the best outcomes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Analysis of tumor control and toxicity in patients who have survived at least one year after radiosurgery for brain metastases.

PURPOSE: To better evaluate tumor control and toxicity from radiosurgery for brain metastases, we analyzed these outcomes in patients who had survived at least 1 year after radiosurgery. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We evaluated the results of gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for 208 brain metastases in 137 patients who were followed for a median of 18 months (range 12-122) after radiosurgery. The median patient age was 53 years (range 3-83). Ninety-nine patients had solitary metastases. Thirty-eight had multiple tumors. Sixty-nine patients underwent initial SRS with whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), 39 had initial SRS alone, and 27 patients had failed prior WBRT. The median treatment volume was 1.9 cm(3) (range 0.05-21.2). The median marginal tumor dose was 16 Gy (range 12-25). The most common histologic types included non-small-cell lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma, which comprised 37.0%, 22.6%, 13.0%, and 9.13% of the lesions, respectively. Forty-five tumors were associated with extensive edema. RESULTS: At 1 and 5 years, the local tumor control rate was 89.6% +/- 2.1% and 62.8% +/- 6.9%, distal intracranial relapse occurred in 23% +/- 3.6% and 67.1% +/- 8.7%, and postradiosurgical sequelae developed in 2.8% +/- 1.2% and 11.4% +/- 3.5% of patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis found that local control decreased with tumor volume (p = 0.0002), SRS without WBRT (p = 0.008), and extensive edema (p = 0.024); distal intracranial recurrence correlated with younger patient age (p = 0.0018); and postradiosurgical sequelae increased with increasing tumor volume (p = 0.0085). CONCLUSION: Long-term control of brain metastases and complication rates in this selective series of patients surviving >or=1 year after radiosurgery were similar to previously reported actuarial estimates. Large metastases and metastases associated with extensive edema can be difficult to control by radiosurgery, particularly without WBRT.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed2003

Gamma knife radiosurgery of imaging-diagnosed intracranial meningioma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate tumor control and outcome from radiosurgery of meningiomas diagnosed by imaging without pathologic verification. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 219 meningiomas diagnosed by imaging criteria underwent gamma knife radiosurgery to a median marginal tumor dose of 14 Gy (range 8.9-20), a median treatment volume of 5.0 cm(3) (range 0.47-56.5), and a median maximal dose of 28 Gy (range 22-50). The median follow-up was 29 months (range 2-164). RESULTS: Tumor progression developed in 7 cases, 2 of which turned out to be different tumors (metastatic nasopharyngeal adenoid cystic carcinoma and chondrosarcoma). One tumor was controlled, but the development of other brain metastases suggested a different diagnosis. The actuarial tumor control rate was 93.2% +/- 2.7% at 5 and 10 years. The actuarial rate of identifying a diagnosis other than meningioma was 2.3% +/- 1.4% at 5 and 10 years. The actuarial rate of developing any postradiosurgical injury reaction was 8.8% +/- 3.0% at 5 and 10 years. No pretreatment variables correlated with tumor control in univariate or multivariate analysis. The risk of postradiosurgery sequelae was lower (5.3% +/- 2.3%) in patients treated after 1991 (with stereotactic MRI and lower doses; p = 0.0104) and tended to increase with treatment volume (p = 0.0537). CONCLUSION: Radiosurgery of meningioma diagnosed by imaging without tissue confirmation is associated with a high rate of tumor control and acceptable morbidity but carries a small risk (2.3%) of an incorrect diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

The role of stereotactic radiosurgery for low-grade astrocytomas.

OBJECT: This study was conducted to examine the role of radiosurgery in the management of patients with recurrent or unresectable low-grade astrocytomas. METHODS: During a 13-year interval, 49 patients underwent stereotactic radiosurgery as part of multimodal treatment of their recurrent or unresectable low-grade astrocytomas. Thirty-seven of these patients (median age 14 years) harbored pilocytic astrocytomas and 12 patients harbored World Health Organization (WHO) Grade II fibrillary astrocytomas (median age 25 years). Tumors involved the brainstem in 22 cases, cerebellum in four, thalamus in six, temporal lobe in five, frontal lobe in four, and parietal lobe in three, as well as the hypothalamus, corpus callosum, insular cortex, optic tract, and third ventricle in one patient each. Each diagnosis was confirmed with the aid of stereotactic biopsy sampling in 17 patients, open biopsy sampling in five, partial resection in 13, and near-total resection in 14. Multimodal treatment included fractionated radiotherapy in 14 patients, stereotactic intracavitary irradiation in five, chemotherapy in two, cyst drainage in eight, ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in five, and additional cytoreductive surgery in five. Tumor volumes ranged from 0.42 to 45.1 cm3. The median radiosurgical dose to the tumor margin was 15 Gy (range 9.6-22.5 Gy). After radiosurgery, serial neuroimaging demonstrated complete tumor resolution in 11 patients, reduced tumor volume in 12, stable tumor volume in 10, and delayed tumor progression in 16. No procedure-related death was encountered. Forty-five of 49 patients are alive at a median follow-up period of 32 months after radiosurgery and 63 months after diagnosis. Sixteen patients participated in follow-up review for more than 60 months. Three patients died of local tumor progression. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery is a potential alternative or adjunctive intervention in the management of selected patients with pilocytic or WHO Grade II fibrillary astrocytomas, usually performed for small-volume tumors in an attempt to avoid larger-field fractionated radiotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Comparison of management options for patients with acoustic neuromas.

Management options for patients with vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas) include observation, tumor resection, stereotactic radiosurgery, and fractionated radiotherapy. In this report the authors review their 15-year experience with radiosurgery and discuss indications and expectations in relation to the different approaches. They conducted a survey of neurosurgeons to determine management preferences in two different cases of intra- and extra-canalicular tumor presentations. Patient decisions must be based on quality information derived from peer-reviewed literature.

Disease Management↗
PubMed2003

The effect of radiosurgery during management of aggressive meningiomas.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive (atypical or malignant) meningiomas are difficult tumors to manage. We review the local control and survival rates of patients with aggressive meningiomas after multi-modality therapy that included stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). METHODS: Thirty patients had SRS for treatment of malignant (n = 12) or atypical (n = 18) meningiomas. There were 17 (57%) males and 13 (43%) females with an average age of 58 years. The mean number of prior surgical resections was two. The median imaging follow-up was 2.3 (0.1-11.4) years; median clinical follow-up was 3.8 (0.25-11.5) years. RESULTS: After SRS, the overall median time until progression of neurologic signs was 48.0 (+/-6.51) months. Median time to neurologic progression was significantly worse for patients treated late after recurrence versus early after craniotomy. Atypical meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (+/-13), while malignant meningiomas had 5- and 10-year overall actuarial survival rates of 59% (+/-16) and 0%. These curves were not significantly different from one another. Atypical meningiomas had a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 83% (+/-7%), while malignant meningiomas had a 5-year PFS of 72% (+/-10) (p = 0.018). On multivariate analysis, early SRS and smaller tumor volumes were associated with better PFS, while younger age was associated with better survival. One patient had an adverse radiation effect after SRS. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery is an important adjuvant management strategy for residual tumors identified early after craniotomy and partial resection. Aggressive use of early boost radiosurgery following craniotomy and radiation therapy is recommended for patients with malignant meningiomas.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed2003

Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes in patients with brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancers are not well defined. In this study we used precise, single-session, focal tumor irradiation (radiosurgery) in patients with brain metastases and evaluated the results. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients had brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer and were treated with radiosurgery. Thirty-two also had whole brain radiotherapy. Primary lesions included colorectal cancer (n = 25), esophageal cancer (n = 11), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1), duodenal cancer (n = 1), and jejunal cancer (n = 1). Seventy-two tumors were treated. RESULTS: The overall median survival was 9 months after diagnosis of metastatic brain disease and 5 months after radiosurgery. The 1-year survival rate after radiosurgery was 19%. The last imaging study of 49 tumors showed complete remission (CR) in 3 tumors (6.1%), partial remission (PR) in 27 tumors (55.1%), no change (NC) in 11 tumors (22.4%), and progression in 8 tumors (16.3%). The local tumor control rate (CR, PR, NC) was 84%. Two patients (5.1%) had a new or worsening neurologic deficit after radiosurgery. CONCLUSIONS: Stereotactic radiosurgery provides reasonable local control of brain metastases from gastrointestinal tract cancer with few side effects. However, it should be used judiciously in patients with active extracranial cancers since the expected survival may be limited.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Long-term results after radiosurgery for benign intracranial tumors.

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiosurgery is the principal therapeutic alternative to resecting benign intracranial tumors. The goals of radiosurgery are the long-term prevention of tumor growth, the maintenance of patient function, and the prevention of new neurological deficits or adverse radiation effects. Evaluation of long-term outcomes more than 10 years after radiosurgery is needed. METHODS: We evaluated 285 consecutive patients who underwent radiosurgery for benign intracranial tumors between 1987 and 1992. Serial imaging studies were obtained, and clinical evaluations were performed. Our series included 157 patients with vestibular schwannomas, 85 patients with meningiomas, 28 patients with pituitary adenomas, 10 patients with other cranial nerve schwannomas, and 5 patients with craniopharyngiomas. Prior surgical resection had been performed in 44% of these patients, and prior radiotherapy had been administered in 5%. The median follow-up period was 10 years. RESULTS: Overall, 95% of the 285 patients in this series had imaging-defined local tumor control (63% had tumor regression, and 32% had no further tumor growth). The actuarial tumor control rate at 15 years was 93.7%. In 5% of the patients, delayed tumor growth was identified. Resection was performed after radiosurgery in 13 patients (5%). No patient developed a radiation-induced tumor. Eighty-one percent of the patients were still alive at the time of this analysis. Normal facial nerve function was maintained in 95% of patients who had normal function before undergoing treatment for acoustic neuromas. CONCLUSION: Stereotactic radiosurgery provided high rates of tumor growth control, often with tumor regression, and low morbidity rates in patients with benign intracranial tumors when evaluated over the long term. This study supports radiosurgery as a reliable alternative to surgical resection for selected patients with benign intracranial tumors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Arm edema after lumpectomy and breast irradiation.

Ipsilateral arm edema can be a troublesome adverse sequel of breast conservation therapy. We carried out a prospective study of arm edema in every patient (265) seen during a 6-month period for follow-up after radiotherapy postlumpectomy for unilateral primary breast cancer. One hundred eighty-one (181) women (68.3%) had an axillary dissection. All had radiotherapy to the breast via parallel opposed tangential beams. Only eight (3%) had additional separate portals for irradiation of nodal areas. Adjuvant systemic therapy consisted of tamoxifen alone in 127 patients (47.9%) and chemotherapy with or without tamoxifen in 60 (22.6%). Ipsilateral arm edema developed in 19 patients (7.2%). Edema was mild (1+) in 16 patients, and moderate in 3 (2+). Multivariate analysis revealed that the risk of arm edema was significantly increased in heavier women (p = 0.0016), women who had an axillary dissection (p = 0.0446), and women who received tamoxifen (p = 0.0385).

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal↗
PubMed2003

Patient characteristics and treatment factors affecting cosmesis following lumpectomy and breast irradiation.

Compared to a mastectomy, lumpectomy and breast irradiation provide an obvious cosmetic advantage. The majority of patients will have a good or excellent outcome with breast conservation therapy. However, poor or fair cosmetic results are reported in about 10% to 20% of patients. To evaluate factors influencing cosmetic outcome in women following lumpectomy and breast irradiation, all women (265) who presented for follow-up in a 6-month period after having previously been treated with postlumpectomy breast irradiation were thoroughly examined and assessed for cosmetic outcome factors including skin pigmentation changes, distortion of the breast, asymmetry, and differences in size between the two breasts. By multivariate analysis, skin pigmentation changes significantly correlated with axillary dissection (p = 0.0049) and black race (p = 0.001). An increased interval from surgery was associated with a decreased incidence of pigmentation changes (p = 0.0058). Smaller size of the treated breast was associated with a longer interval from surgery (p < 0.0001) and an increased separation between opposed tangential fields (p < 0.0001). One hundred twenty-eight women (48.3%) had an excellent cosmetic result (no skin changes or deformity and very slight, if any, difference in size). An additional 110 patients (41.5%) had a good result (no skin changes and just a noticeable difference in size between the two breasts or skin changes with no difference in size between the two breasts). An excellent or good cosmetic result versus a fair or poor result was associated with white race (p = 0.0056), smaller separation between the tangential fields (p = 0.01), the use of a boost (p = 0.0025), and no use of tamoxifen (p = 0.025).

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Stereotactic radiosurgery for CNS nongerminomatous germ cell tumors. Report of four cases.

In this study, we evaluated the results in four patients with nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCT) of the pineal region. All underwent radiosurgery in conjunction with surgical resection, fractionated radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Four male patients with pineal region NGGCT were treated with radiosurgery. The mean age was 16.5 years. Three patients had histological confirmation by stereotactic biopsy or craniotomy prior to radiosurgery. One patient was diagnosed by serum and CSF tumor markers. The mean tumor volume was 10.5 cm(3). Radiosurgery was performed with mean maximum and marginal doses of 28 and 14 Gy, respectively. At last follow-up, three patients were alive and one was dead. The mean follow-up after diagnosis and after radiosurgery was 34 and 25 months, respectively. At last follow-up, two tumors had regressed, one was unchanged and one had progressed. No patient had complications after radiosurgery. Radiosurgery can play an important adjuvant role for NGGCT patients who also undergo multimodal management. In the case of prepubertal patients, radiosurgery may play an important role by reducing the radiation dose to the surrounding normal brain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Radiobiological analysis of tissue responses following radiosurgery.

Stereotactic radiosurgery provided clinicians the ability to administer high single-doses of radiation to intracranial targets with relative safety. Analysis of clinical outcome from radiosurgery calls into question some of the radiobiological principles that have guided conventional fractionated radiotherapy in the past. The response of the tumor or target tissue being irradiated, as well as the response of the surrounding normal tissue, seems predominantly determined by the tumor or target vasculature. Injury to the tumor or target vasculature appears to contribute to the probability of developing normal tissue complications. Estimations of alpha/beta values from radiosurgical dose-response data consistently yield values that conflict with values from fractionated radiotherapy and with linear-quadratic theory. This indicates that projections from high-dose single-fractions to fractionated dose-equivalents made using the linear-quadratic formula are unreliable. Radiobiological analysis of clinical data from radiosurgery provides models for guiding treatment to achieve desired effects and provide reliable estimates of complications.

Dose Fractionation, Radiation↗
PubMed2003

Brain metastases treated with radiosurgery alone: an alternative to whole brain radiotherapy?

OBJECTIVE: Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) provides benefit for patients with brain metastases but may result in neurological toxicity for patients with extended survival times. Stereotactic radiosurgery in combination with WBRT has become an important approach, but the value of WBRT has been questioned. As an alternative to WBRT, we managed patients with stereotactic radiosurgery alone, evaluated patients' outcomes, and assessed prognostic factors for survival and tumor control. METHODS: One hundred seventy-two patients with brain metastases were managed with radiosurgery alone. One hundred twenty-one patients were evaluable with follow-up imaging after radiosurgery. The median patient age was 60.5 years (age range, 16-86 yr). The mean marginal tumor dose and volume were 18.5 Gy (range, 11-22 Gy) and 4.4 ml (range, 0.1-24.9 ml). Eighty percent of patients had solitary tumors. RESULTS: The overall median survival time was 8 months. The median survival time in patients with no evidence of primary tumor disease or stable disease was 13 and 11 months. The local tumor control rate was 87%. At 2 years, the rate of local control, remote brain control, and total intracranial control were 75, 41, and 27%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, advanced primary tumor status (P = 0.0003), older age (P = 0.008), lower Karnofsky Performance Scale score (P = 0.01), and malignant melanoma (P = 0.005) were significant for poorer survival. The median survival time was 28 months for patients younger than 60 years of age, with Karnofsky Performance Scale score of at least 90, and whose primary tumor status showed either no evidence of disease or stable disease. Tumor volume (P = 0.02) alone was significant for local tumor control, whereas no factor affected remote or intracranial tumor control. Eleven patients developed complications, six of which were persistent. Nineteen (16.5%) of 116 patients in whom the cause of death was obtained died as a result of causes related to brain metastasis. CONCLUSION: Brain metastases were controlled well with radiosurgery alone as initial therapy. We advocate that WBRT should not be part of the initial treatment protocol for selected patients with one or two tumors with good control of their primary cancer, better Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and younger age, all of which are predictors of longer survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Low-dose radiotherapy for the inhibition of peridural fibrosis after reexploratory nerve root decompression for postlaminectomy syndrome.

OBJECT: The authors of clinical studies have demonstrated a significant association between the presence of extensive post-lumbar discectomy peridural scar formation and the recurrence of low-back and radicular pain. Low-dose perioperative radiotherapy has been demonstrated to inhibit peridural fibrosis after laminectomy in animal models. The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of preoperative irradiation in patients with failed-back surgery syndrome due to peridural fibrosis who underwent reexploration and nerve root decompression. METHODS: Ten patients with symptomatic post-discectomy peridural fibrosis were randomized. Half of the patients underwent 700-cGy external-beam irradiation to the operative site 24 hours prior to reexploration and decompressive treatment of their symptomatic nerve root(s) (treatment group) and the other half underwent reexploration and decompressive treatment without preoperative irradiation (control group). All patients underwent simulated irradiation so neither patient nor surgeon was aware of the patient's group. In all patients the antiadhesion product ADCON-L was placed over the affected nerve root at the time of surgery. Clinical outcome was assessed using the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Joint Section Lumbar Disc Herniation Study Questionnaire at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year follow up. Five men and five women (mean age 42 years) underwent randomization and surgery. Three patients underwent reexploration at L4-5, four at L5-S1, and three at both levels. No complication was associated with irradiation, and no new neurological deficits occurred. At 1-year follow-up examination, three irradiation-treated patients were pain free and two experienced improvement. In the control group, three patients experienced improved pain relief and two were unchanged. There was a trend toward better outcome at 1 year in the radiotherapy-treated group (p = 0.056). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative low-dose external-beam irradiation improved clinical outcomes after reexploration and decompression of nerve roots affected by postlaminectomy peridural fibrosis causing radicular pain. The addition of preoperative irradiation may improve outcome in patients who undergo reoperation for recurrent radicular pain associated with a significant amount of peridural fibrosis, particularly now that no antiadhesion product is available for clinical use.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Acoustic tumors: operation versus radiation--making sense of opposing viewpoints. Part II. Acoustic neuromas: sorting out management options.

Patients with acoustic neuromas have several options available to them. Large tumors with significant brain stem compression usually require surgical resection. For patients with small or medium-sized tumors, radiosurgery has become a common treatment, with excellent long-term results being reported. Patients must be comfortable with the concept of tumor control rather than tumor removal. Most seem to be satisfied with this concept if it allows them to avoid brain surgery. Surgeons should strive to educate their patients with information from the peer-reviewed literature. Confusion exists among patients, because the information from Internet sources, newsletters, support groups, and physicians has not always been validated and supported by outcomes data. Although we are asked to provide our opinions, our comments should not be based on myth, conjecture, training bias, or socioeconomic concerns.

Decision Making↗