PhD defence Selçuk Peker

Keywords: Radiosurgery, Brain tumor, Gamma Knife

"Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Skull Base Tumors: Focus on Schwannomas, Meningiomas and Cushing’s Disease"

This thesis looks at a treatment called Gamma Knife radiosurgery and how well it helps people with tumors at the base of the skull — the crowded area beneath the brain where many important nerves and blood vessels come together. Despite its name, this treatment involves no cutting. Instead, many fine beams of radiation are aimed so that they all meet precisely at the tumor, delivering a strong dose there while sparing the healthy tissue around it.

The work focuses on three conditions: meningiomas and schwannomas, which are usually non-cancerous growths, and Cushing's disease, caused by a small hormone-producing tumor in pituitary gland. By studying patients treated over many years, the thesis examines how effectively the treatment stops these tumors from growing, how often it eases symptoms, and how safely it protects nearby functions such as hearing. The findings help doctors decide when this gentle, targeted approach is the best choice.

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