The evolving role of stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with skull base tumors

Tumors located at the base of the skull are among the most difficult problems that neurosurgeons encounter. Management of patients with skull base tumors must take into account that complete tumor removal is not possible with acceptable morbidity in many patients. Therefore, radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery are commonly performed. The use of radiosurgery for patients with skull base tumors has increased significantly over the past three decades and we now possess a better understanding of the expectations of skull base radiosurgery. For properly selected patients with benign tumors (meningiomas, schwannomas, glomus tumors), tumor control rates between 90 and 100% have been reported. Local control rates for chordomas and chondrosarcomas have ranged from 50 to 70%, but tumor growth adjacent to the treated area (marginal failure) remains a significant problem. Radiosurgery is also commonly performed for patients with malignant skull base tumors as a palliative treatment and symptom relief is common, especially for patients with facial pain related to their tumor. Follow-up beyond 10 years is still needed to better define long-term results of radiosurgery and the incidence of radiation-induced neoplasms after radiosurgery.