ABSTRACT
Brain tumors, benign or malignant, primary or metastatic, represent a signifi cant disease burden. Brain metastases, for example, are estimated to occur in 20% to 40% of all patients with cancer during the course of their illness (Tsao et al. 2012). In diseases such as melanoma, the incidence of brain metastases has been found to be close to 60% in autopsy studies (Patel et al. 1978). The incidence of brain metastases is on the rise, owing to improved imaging detection, and more effective systemic treatment prolonging survival (Deeken and Loscher 2007, Tosoni et al. 2004). Primary brain tumors, of which glial tumors and central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas are the most common, are far less likely than metastatic disease and represent about 2% of all primary tumors (CBTRUS (Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States) 2012). Brain tumors impact the quality of life and length of survival.
