title: Current surgical management of glioblastoma.
abstract: Surgical resection is a critical aspect of the management of a patient with a glioblastoma (GBM). An intimate knowledge of the anatomy of a GBM, as well as familiarity with particular surgical techniques and adjunctive technologies is required for safe surgical resection. The goals of resection include diagnosis, relief of mass effect, and cytoreduction. A recent study showed that resection of 98% or more of the tumor mass can result in a statistically significant survival advantage. Even in functionally critical areas, "gross total" resections are possible if proper techniques are employed. It is recommended that a "gross total" resection of the enhancing portion of a GBM be performed whenever possible. With this philosophy, the mortality rate is 3% and the rate of major neurologic morbidity is less than 10%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hentschel
authors.forename: Frederick F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D001931:Brain Mapping; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis