Tumor bed radiosurgery following resection of brain metastases: a review

There is a growing interest in adjuvant radiosurgery following resection of hematogenous brain metastases. We have identified 12 series reporting on a total of 480 patients treated to a tumor bed following microsurgery. These cases fall into 3 paradigms: adjuvant radiosurgery as an alternative to whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), radiosurgery as an intensification of adjuvant WBRT and adjuvant radiosurgery for patients having failed prior WBRT. For these paradigms the reported crude local control rates are 79%, 92% and 95%, respectively. The procedure appears well tolerate with approximately a 5% risk of late radiation necrosis. Prospective data is lagging behind clinical practice and plans for prospective trials are discussed.