Language outcomes following neurosurgery for brain tumours: A systematic review

Abstract

Language function is susceptible to the effects of brain tumours during both the tumour growth phase and during neurosurgical resection. This paper aimed to systematically review existing literature to determine the current status of knowledge about language outcomes following neurosurgery. A systematic review was conducted involving a detailed literature search using online databases, quality assessment of relevant articles and data extraction. Of the 1449 articles retrieved, nine articles satisfied the study criteria. Overall, these studies reported variable patterns of language function post-surgery, however, there was a trend towards an early post-surgical decline in language function that greatly improved by 3 months. The likelihood of developing post-surgical communication impairments was influenced by a number of factors including pre-operative aphasia and the identification of sub-cortical language tracts inside the tumour margin, however, further research is required to fully elucidate pertinent predictors. These findings have implications for rehabilitation programs following brain tumour surgery and suggest that there are a number of key gaps warranting further investigation.