Surgical Management of Low-Grade Gliomas

Low-grade gliomas represent a wide spectrum of intra-axial brain tumors with diverse presentations, radiographic and surgical appearances, and prognoses. While there remains a role for biopsy, a growing body of evidence shows that aggressive surgical resection of low-grade gliomas may improve symptoms, extend progression-free survival (PFS), and even cure a select few patients. With the application of preoperative functional imaging, intraoperative navigation, and cortical stimulation, neurosurgeons are able to perform more complete resections while limiting the risk to patients. In this article, we describe the surgical management and current operative techniques used in the treatment of low-grade gliomas.