Role of resection for newly diagnosed malignant gliomas

The surgical neuro-oncology literature testifies to the longstanding argument about the benefits (or lack thereof) of aggressive debulking of high-grade gliomas. Publications from the last decade addressing this question will be reviewed. The absence of randomized clinical trials and paucity of prospectively collected information continue to leave this issue unresolved, although most evidence continues to support a modest benefit of debulking over biopsy.