Over the past 15 years, neurosurgeons have incorporated another treatment approach: a minimally invasive laser treatment—currently offered to patients with recurrent, difficult-to-access or inoperable brain tumors—that is safe and extends survival by months, a meaningful milestone for people with a terminal diagnosis.

Now, an analysis of patient outcomes led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found potential ways to enhance these benefits, revealing that the extent of tumor removal by the procedure and the timing of treatment extend survival.

The analysis, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, has the potential to improve clinical care for patients.