The Emerging Role of Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Manlio      Barbarisi; Pantaleo      Romanelli

Abstract

Stereotactic radiosurgery is an emerging treatment option offered to patients with Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Radiosurgery is performed as an outpatient procedure and provides a safe and effective non invasive treatment for focal GBM. High energy beams originating from cobalt sources placed into an helmet (Gamma-Knife) or generated by a linear accelerator (LINAC) rotating on a gantry (X-Knife, Novalis) or maneuvered by a robotic arm (CyberKnife) are delivered with submillimetric accuracy to a selected intracranial target. Treatment accuracy is provided by image-guided volumetric CT and MR studies complemented with advanced metabolic neuroimaging techniques such as CT-PET. Radiosurgery is typically used as a salvage treatment in patients with recurrent GBM to avoid further surgical procedures or as a complement to conventional fractionated radiotherapy. This paper reviews the emerging role of stereotactic radiosurgery in the treatment of GBM.

Keywords: Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, Glioblastoma multiforme, image-guidance, stereotactic radiosurgery.

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