The use of adjuvant therapy is controversial in atypical meningiomas with gross total resection. Predictors of recurrence risk could be useful in selecting patients for additional treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate whether molecular features are associated with recurrence risk of atypical meningiomas. According to WHO classification, the diagnosis of atypical meningioma was based on the presence of one major criteria (mitotic activity, brain invasion) or three or more minor criteria. The molecular profile of 22 cases (eight mitotically active, eight brain-invasive, and six with minor criteria) was assessed exploring the mutational status and copy number variation of 409 genes using next generation sequencing. Of the 22 patients with a median follow up of 53.5 months, 13 had recurrence of disease within 68 months. NF2 mutation was the only recurrent alteration (11/22) and was unrelated to clinical-pathological features. Recurring meningiomas featured a significantly higher proportion of copy number losses than non-recurring ones (p = 0.027). Chromosome 18q heterozygous loss or CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion was significantly associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (p = 0.008; hazard ratio: 5.3). Atypical meningiomas could be tested routinely for these genetic alterations to identify cases for adjuvant treatment.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is currently a well-established, minimally invasive treatment for many primary and secondary tumors, especially deep-sited lesions for which traditional neurosurgical procedures were poorly satisfactory or not effective at all. The initial evolution of SRS was cautious, relying on more than 30 years of experimental and clinical work that preceded its introduction into the worldwide medical community. This path enabled a brilliant present, and the continuous pace of technological advancement holds promise for a brighter future. Part II of this review article will cover the impact of multimodal adjuvant technologies on SRS, and their input to the crucial role played by neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and medical physicists in the management and care of fragile neuro-oncological patients.

Stereotactic radiosurgery can nowadays be considered not only as a potential adjuvant to surgical treatment of several neuro-oncological pathologies, including primary tumors and metastatic lesions, but in some cases also as a valuable alternative tailored option. In Part I of the review, we propose a dissertation focused on the different irradiation stereotactic radiosurgery techniques to date available for clinical indications more relevant to oncologists and oncologic surgeons, such as high-grade and low-grade gliomas, metastases and meningiomas. It is noteworthy that the most recent body of literature correlated with this topic shows that the therapeutic results presently achievable are revolutionizing the way patients are diagnosed and managed worldwide. As we sought to shed light on the current potentialities of stereotactic radiosurgery, we must consider that to exploit all the benefits provided by this shift in clinical practice, a profound awareness by all practitioners involved in the care of neoplastic patients is certainly warranted.

The software provides a correct and detailed reconstruction even where pathologies have caused morphological and geometrical variations in the vessels. The time required for the entire procedure is compatible with clinical requirements, providing an efficient tool for diagnosis and surgical planning.

Object During the past decades, in small-to-medium size vestibular schwannomas, Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) has become a reliable therapeutic option because of either excellent local tumor control or minimal morbidity, with cranial neuropathy becoming increasingly rare. Although still insufficiently analyzed in larger cohorts of patients with long-term follow-ups, adequate chances of hearing preservation and vestibular sparing seem clinically guaranteed. However, deeper investigations are needed in this regard, expanding the number of cases and the follow-up period. Methods A small group of patients with vestibular schwannomas (74 patients, including 41 men and 33 women) treated between 2003 and 2009 using GKS at the authors' institution were analyzed—both before and after GKS—with computerized static stabilometry and electronystagmography for balance disorders, vertigo, and ataxia on 1 side and pure tone average, vocal speech discrimination score, auditory brainstem response, and so forth for hearing impairment and tinnitus on the other side. Eligibility criteria for this prospective study included previously untreated unilateral lesions and a Gardner-Robertson hearing class of I–III. Dosimetry plans had been programmed at the lower effective dosages for these tumors (median surface dose 12.4 Gy, range 10–13 Gy), carefully avoiding even minimal toxic dosages on the most vulnerable targets: the cochlea (never > 6 Gy) and the vestibular canals (< 7.5 Gy). Results To date, tumor growth control rates remain satisfactory; at a mean follow-up of 50 months, the rate was 96%. The overall level of hearing preservation was 72%, with 81% having Gardner-Robertson Class I hearing. Tinnitus decreased, from 52% to 28% of patients (p < 0.01). Significant improvements were also observed in vestibular symptoms, with computerized static stabilometry abnormalities decreasing from 62% to 32% (p < 0.001) and electronystagmography abnormalities reducing from 48% to 14% (p < 0.001). Conclusions Using appropriate radiodosimetry planning, GKS seems to guarantee not only adequate tumor growth control rates, but also better levels of hearing preservation, with a documented, long-lasting improvement in vestibular functions.