Clinical trials in neurosurgical oncology

Brain tumors such as diffuse infiltrating gliomas continue to represent a major clinical challenge. Overall survival for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumor, remains less than 2 years despite intensive multimodal therapy with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, advances have been made in standard therapies and novel treatments that are showing great potential. These advances reflect careful study performed in the context of clinical trials. Neurosurgeons have played and will continue to play key parts in these studies. In this manuscript, we review clinical trials in neuro-oncology from a neurosurgical point of view and discuss potential roles for neurosurgeons in advancing glioma therapy in the future.