Neuro Surgery Oncology

Neurosurgery oncology focuses on brain, spine, and nerve tumors. Doctors diagnose and treat many tumor types, using surgical techniques to remove tumors safely. This specialized field handles primary brain tumors, metastatic tumors, spinal tumors and other nervous system neoplasms.

Significance of Neurosurgery Oncology
Neurosurgical oncology is truly important for tumors in the brain and spinal cord. These growths can badly impact how the body works and decrease life quality. It involves:

• Tumor Resection: Removing tumors from the brain aims to take out as much as safely possible. It helps preserve abilities like thinking and moving, relieves pressure, and improves outcomes.
• Biopsy and Diagnosis: Procedures like ste­reotactic biopsy allow doctors to know exactly what tumor type it is. Then they study its details like genetic markers that guide treatment planning.
• Palliation and Symptom Management: Surgery helps reduce symptoms from brain/spinal tumors, like headaches, seizures, and weakness. It improves the quality of life for patients.

Types of Neurosurgical Oncology Procedures:

Brain Tumor Surgery:

• Gliomas: Removing gliomas like astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, or glioblastomas involves fine neurosurgical skill & techniques. Surgeons use  navigation guided craniotomy, image and fluorescence guided resection with agents like 5 ALA under microscope with awake brain mapping, monitoring during surgery.
• Meningiomas: Excising meningiomas often need skull base approaches. Surgeons remove dura and use microsurgery for complete tumor removal while protecting nearby structures.
• Pituitary Tumors: Transsphenoidal surgery accesses pituitary adenomas through the nose. This avoids large craniotomy and help early recovery and discharge.

Spinal Cord Tumor Surgery:

• Intramedullary: Resecting tumors inside the cord like ependymomas or astrocytomas uses neurophysiological monitoring and spinal cord protection to minimize neurological deficits.
• Extramedullary Tumors: For tumors outside the cord like meningiomas or schwannomas, surgeons may perform laminectomy. They debulk tumors and stabilize the spine to relieve compression.

Peripheral Nerve Tumor Surgery:

•   Schwannomas and Neurofibromas: Excising these nerve tumors requires meticulous dissection and nerve preservation techniques. Functional monitoring helps minimize postoperative deficits and preserve function.

Benefits 

Neurosurgery oncology brings significant benefits:

• Tumor Control: Removing tumors, often completely or almost entirely, is the aim here. This lowers tumor mass burdens and boosts survival rates overall.
• Neurological Preservation: With advanced brain monitoring during surgery, neuroimaging methods, navigation tech, and microsurgical approaches, brain functioning is safeguarded. Complications are minimized through these neurosurgical    advancements, leading to smoother recoveries postoperatively too.
• Multimodal Treatment: Neurosurgery frequently partners with other therapies, such as radiation, chemotherapy, targeted medications, and immunotherapy drugs. The goal here is to optimize cancer outcomes reducing recurrence risks while   considerably boosting patient survival rates.