Current Research in Neurosurgery: Dima Suki, Ph.D.
Epidemiology, outcome assessment (health care), brain, neoplasm metastasis
Brain metastases are the most common intracranial tumors and a major cause of morbidity in patients with cancer. Survival in such patients remains poor regardless of the therapy used. However, to date, there are no clear guidelines for the management of these patients, mainly due to the lack of adequate data in the literature. Quality data on the clinical outcomes observed in patients treated with different regimens and in different patient and tumor subgroups are also scarce. Outcomes such as patient quality of life, functional status, and patient satisfaction are even less clear. My work in the Department of Neurosurgery is focused mainly on this patient population. In particular, I am studying a wide range of outcomes and determining the predictors of those outcomes in different patient subgroups. I am also collaborating with other faculty members in randomized trials comparing several available strategies for the treatment of these metastases.