Leftover tumor after surgery is linked to it coming back
Original title: Extent of resection and craniopharyngioma recurrence: a volumetric analysis.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
Doctors looked back at people already treated, so nothing new was tested.
The short version
When more tumor was left after surgery, it came back more often.
What was studied. Doctors looked back at 60 people who had surgery for a brain tumor called craniopharyngioma. They used MRI scans to measure the tumor before and after surgery.
What they found. The tumor came back or grew in 60% of these people. People who had more of the tumor removed went longer before it grew. Leftover fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, were also linked to the tumor coming back. None of these people had planned radiation after surgery.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Taking out more of the tumor may lower the chance it comes back. Measuring what is left on a scan may help your care team plan what to do next. That could mean closer watching, or radiation for some people.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean surgery alone stops the tumor for good. It is not a cure, and it is not a new treatment. Doctors only looked back at records of people already treated. Nobody was given a new drug or a new plan to test. This also does not tell your doctor what is right for you.
Source: PubMed, August 29, 2026 · Read the original
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