Experimental Radiobiological Investigations into Radiosurgery: Present Understanding and Future Directions

LARS LEKSELL BEGAN radiobiological investigations to study the effect of high-dose focused radiation on the central nervous system more than 5 decades ago. Although the effects of radiosurgery on the brain tumor microenvironment are still under investigation, radiosurgery has become a preferred management modality for many intracranial tumors and vascular malformations. The effects and the pathogenesis of biological effects after radiosurgery may be unique. The need for basic research concerning the radiobiological effects of high-dose, single-fraction, ionizing radiation on nervous system tissue is crucial. Information from those studies would be useful in devising strategies to avoid, prevent, or ameliorate damage to normal tissue without compromising treatment efficacy. The development of future applications of radiosurgery will depend on an increase in our understanding of the radiobiology of radiosurgery, which in turn will affect the efficacy of treatment. This article analyzes the current state of radiosurgery research with regard to the nature of central nervous system effects, the techniques developed to increase therapeutic efficacy, investigations into the use of radiosurgery for functional disorders, radiosurgery as a tool for investigations into basic central nervous system biology, and the additional areas that require further investigation.