As computer processing speeds increase, imaged-based stereotactic surgery advances by leaps and bounds. Robotic wands can be used to allow "frameless" surgery and display cut-away three-dimensional views of intracranial structures. In addition to radiosurgery mentioned earlier, stereotactic techniques can also be used for the delivery of laser light for photoactivation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunological reagents. The most promising work to date has been in the area of gene therapy. Stereotactic techniques have been used to implant genetically engineered viruses which can destroy or modulate tumor cells within the brain while sparing surrounding normal neural tissue. Animal studies have been promising and human trials are underway.

The outlook for patients with glioblastoma remains dismal. However, improved surgical techniques, intraoperative monitoring capabilities, advanced imaging and stereotactic technology, refined radiotherapy delivery and molecular biological innovation have impacted significantly the outcome of many primary CNS tumors.