Adjunctive treatment of cranial base malignacies

The indications for skull base tumor surgery have increased in recent years primarily because of improving surgical techniques and adjunctive treatment modalities. In this article we review current and future adjunctive treatment for cranial base malignancies. Surgically clear tumor margins are often difficult to achieve in skull base surgery because of unacceptable morbidity to surrounding structures. Current phase I and II trials of adjunctive radiation and chemotherapy are discussed. Future advances in radiation therapy and chemotherapy are introduced.