BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiosurgery, a minimally invasive treatment delivering high doses of radiation to a well-defined target, has transformed interdisciplinary treatment paradigms since its inception. This study chronicles its adoption and evolution for brain cancer and tumors globally. METHODS: A systematic literature review of SRS-focused articles from 2000 to 2023 was conducted. Literature impact was evaluated using citation counts and relative citation ratio scores. Extracted data were dichotomized between US and international publications. RESULTS: Out of 5424 articles eligible, 538 met inclusion criteria reporting on 120,756 patients treated with SRS for brain cancer and tumors since 2000. Over time, publication rates grew significantly (p = 0.0016), with 56% of principal investigators based in the United States. Clinical articles accounted for 87% of the publications, with the remainder focused on technological advances. Relative to international studies, US publications had larger median samples (74 vs. 58, p = 0.012), higher median citations (30 vs. 19, p <
0.0001) and higher relative citation ratio scores (1.67 vs. 1.2, p <
0.00001). Gamma Knife and LINAC had roughly equal representation in US and international publications. Neurosurgery specialists authored more Gamma Knife-based articles, and radiation oncology specialists authored more LINAC-based papers (p <
0.0001). The most treated tumors were metastases (58%), skull base tumors (35%), and gliomas (7%). Radiographic control was achieved in 82% of metastatic tumor cases, with a 12% median complication rate. CONCLUSIONS: SRS has been widely adopted both nationally and globally and continues to be a growing field. This study corroborates the clinical efficacy of SRS and reinforces its critical role in the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with brain tumors and cancer.