Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive cytoreductive treatment option for patients with intracranial tumors. Utilizing real-time MR thermometry, LITT delivers tailored, targeted, and permanent cytotoxic thermal injury to intra-axial pathology. As a minimally invasive and nonionizing treatment option proved to be an effective, less morbid, and more efficient alternative to surgery, the utility of LITT has rapidly expanded.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Insular gliomas pose a significant surgical challenge due to the complex surrounding functional and vascular anatomy. The authors report their experience using a novel framework for the treatment of insular gliomas with laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) and provide representative case examples emphasizing indications, rationale, and technical pearls.
Methods: A prospectively gathered institutional database was used to identify patients with newly diagnosed insular gliomas who underwent LITT between 2015 and 2023.
Purpose: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive cytoreductive treatment option for brain tumors with a risk of vascular injury from catheter placement or thermal energy. This may be of concern with deep-seated tumors that have surrounding end-artery perforators and critical microvasculature. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of distal ischemia following LITT for deep-seated perivascular brain tumors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) for glioblastoma (GBM) has been reserved for poor surgical candidates and deep "inoperable" lesions. We present the first reported series of LITT for surgically accessible recurrent GBM (rGBM) that would otherwise be treated with surgical resection.
Objective: To evaluate the use of LITT for unifocal, lobar, first-time rGBM compared with a similar surgical cohort.
Meningiomas represent a phenotypically and genetically diverse group of tumors which often behave in ways that are not simply explained by their pathologic grade. The genetic landscape of meningiomas has become a target of investigation as tumor genomics have been found to impact tumor location, recurrence risk, and malignant potential. Additionally, targeted therapies are being developed that in the future may provide patients with personalized chemotherapy based on the genetic aberrations within their tumor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: Real-world data (RWD) applications in healthcare that support learning health systems and pragmatic clinical trials are gaining momentum, largely due to legislation supporting real-world evidence (RWE) for drug approvals. Clinical notes are thought to be the cornerstone of RWD applications, particularly for conditions with limited effective treatments, extrapolation of treatments from other conditions, or heterogenous disease biology and clinical phenotypes.
Recent Findings: Here, we discuss current issues in applying RWD captured at the point-of-care and provide a framework for clinicians to engage in RWD collection.