A neurosurgeon from the United States has analyzed data from hundreds of patients with glioblastoma and brain metastases who were treated with a technique called Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) at multiple hospitals. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on August 17, 2026, was led by Eric C. Leuthardt from the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis. He collected data from 787 patients across 25 U.S. hospitals between 2015 and 2023. The findings suggest that LITT may significantly improve the survival rates of patients with these types of brain tumors. Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain cancer in adults, classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a grade 4 tumor that grows rapidly from glial cells, which are support cells in the brain. Brain metastases, on the other hand, are tumors that form in the brain after cancer cells from another part of the body, such as the lungs or breasts, spread there. LITT is a minimally invasive surgical technique that uses laser light to destroy cancer cells within the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy brain tissue. The procedure involves using high-precision MRI scans to create a three-dimensional map of the tumor. A neurosurgeon then makes a small hole in the skull and inserts a thin optical fiber into the tumor. The fiber is covered with a cooling sheath to protect nearby tissues. When the laser is activated, it converts light into heat, which damages the cancer cells. Temperatures between 43 and 59°C cause cellular damage, while temperatures above 60°C result in rapid cell death through a process called coagulation necrosis. The patient remains inside the MRI machine during the procedure, allowing for real-time monitoring of the brain's temperature to avoid injury to important areas. The success of LITT depends on the amount of tumor tissue destroyed, known as the Extent of Ablation (EOA). For glioblastoma, destroying more than 91% of the tumor increases the median overall survival by 2.1 years compared to patients with less than 90% ablation. For brain metastases, achieving complete ablation of 100% leads to a median survival of 2.8 years, compared to 1.3 years for ablations of less than 99%. LITT has several advantages, including being minimally invasive, effective, reducing hospital stays, having a low risk of complications, and helping to maintain the patient’s functional abilities. It is especially useful for patients who are not suitable for traditional open brain surgery due to the location of the tumor or their overall health. However, the technique has limitations, particularly with very large tumors, where achieving the required ablation becomes more difficult when the tumor volume exceeds 15 to 20 cubic centimeters. Additionally, for newly diagnosed glioblastomas, LITT should be combined with early radiotherapy and chemotherapy to maximize survival outcomes.