Skull base
Extent of resection
Also called: gross-total resection, subtotal resection, near-total resection, GTR, STR
Extent of resection describes how much tumor was removed: gross-total (no visible residual), near-total (a small remnant) or subtotal (a larger remnant). It trades tumor control against surgical risk.
Neurosurgeons describe resection in tiers. Gross-total resection (GTR) means no residual tumor is seen on postoperative imaging. Near-total resection leaves a small remnant, often stuck to a critical structure. Subtotal resection (STR) leaves a larger remnant. Exact percentage thresholds vary between studies.
For skull base tumors such as craniopharyngioma and tuberculum sellae meningioma, more complete resection usually lowers recurrence but increases the risk of injuring the pituitary stalk, optic apparatus, hypothalamus or carotid artery.
That trade-off is why some decision tools sweep across resection tiers and show how each complication risk and the recurrence risk move together, rather than reporting a single prediction.
Tools that use this
- Craniopharyngioma Outcomes StudioPredict tumor recurrence and permanent diabetes insipidus after craniopharyngioma surgery, with SHAP explanations and an extent-of-resection trade-off.
- Tuberculum Sella Meningioma StudioCompare endoscopic and transcranial plans for tuberculum sellae meningioma, from partial to gross-total resection, and predict post-op visual improvement.
Related terms
Educational reference. Not medical advice and not for clinical decision-making.