Surgery for diffuse astrocytoma

The entire clinical picture of diffuse astrocytoma is difficult to accurately describe because this disease is rare with a long clinical course, so the optimum surgical strategy cannot be determined. Surgery for gliomas has been greatly improved by the introduction of intraoperative functional brain mapping/monitoring techniques and neuronavigation systems. Greater extent of resection is a predictor for improved outcome in patients with diffuse astrocytoma. However, complete resection of diffuse astrocytoma is still difficult because of the structural features, including the highly infiltrative nature of this disease, even utilizing advanced methods.