Purpose
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an important management strategy for residual and recurrent craniopharyngiomas. The current study evaluated the factors which affected tumor control and ...complications in craniopharyngioma SRS.
Methods
This study includes 53 consecutive patients who underwent single-session SRS for recurrent or residual craniopharyngiomas. The median age was 41 years with 28 male and 25 females. The median tumor volume was 0.63 cm
3
and median margin dose was 12 Gy (range 9–25 Gy).
Results
The overall 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 97.8%, 92.7% and 88.5%. The overall 3-, 5-, and 10-year tumor control rates were 81.0%, 72.1%, and 53.4%. In univariate analysis, ≥ 3 mm distance from optic structures (p = 0.002), only solid or cystic tumor type (p = 0.037), and ≥ 12 Gy to ≥ 85% of the tumor (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with improved tumor control. In multivariate analysis, only solid or cystic tumor type, (p = 0.034), and ≥ 85% of the tumor receiving ≥ 12 Gy (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with better tumor control. When ≥ 85% of the tumor received ≥ 12 Gy the tumor control rates at 3-, 5-, and 10-year were 100%, 93.3%, and 93.3%. Higher conformity index was not associated with better tumor control.
Conclusions
The tumor control rates after recurrent or residual craniopharyngiomas SRS were improved by ensuring that at least 85% of the tumor received ≥ 12 Gy even when the distance between the tumor and the optic system is < 3 mm. This concept refutes the conformity theory that a high conformity index is a critical feature of effective SRS.
OBJECTIVE In this multicenter study, the authors reviewed the results following Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), determined predictors of outcome, and ...assessed predictive value of commonly used grading scales based upon this large cohort with long-term follow-up. METHODS Data from a cohort of 2236 patients undergoing GKRS for cerebral AVMs were compiled from the International Gamma Knife Research Foundation. Favorable outcome was defined as AVM obliteration and no posttreatment hemorrhage or permanent symptomatic radiation-induced complications. Patient and AVM characteristics were assessed to determine predictors of outcome, and commonly used grading scales were assessed. RESULTS The mean maximum AVM diameter was 2.3 cm, with a mean volume of 4.3 cm
. A mean margin dose of 20.5 Gy was delivered. Mean follow-up was 7 years (range 1-20 years). Overall obliteration was 64.7%. Post-GRKS hemorrhage occurred in 165 patients (annual risk 1.1%). Radiation-induced imaging changes occurred in 29.2%; 9.7% were symptomatic, and 2.7% had permanent deficits. Favorable outcome was achieved in 60.3% of patients. Patients with prior nidal embolization (OR 2.1, p < 0.001), prior AVM hemorrhage (OR 1.3, p = 0.007), eloquent location (OR 1.3, p = 0.029), higher volume (OR 1.01, p < 0.001), lower margin dose (OR 0.9, p < 0.001), and more isocenters (OR 1.1, p = 0.011) were more likely to have unfavorable outcomes in multivariate analysis. The Spetzler-Martin grade and radiosurgery-based AVM score predicted outcome, but the Virginia Radiosurgery AVM Scale provided the best assessment. CONCLUSIONS GKRS for cerebral AVMs achieves obliteration and avoids permanent complications in the majority of patients. Patient, AVM, and treatment parameters can be used to predict long-term outcomes following radiosurgery.
Background
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become a primary option for management for both newly diagnosed vestibular schwannomas (VS), as well as VS that enlarge after initial observation.
...Methods
A retrospective review of our prospectively maintained data base found 871 patients who underwent Gamma knife® SRS as their initial (primary) management between 1987 and 2008. Follow-up ranged from 1–25 years (median = 5.2 years) Median tumor volume was 0.9 cc (0.02–36) and median margin dose was 13 Gy (12–25).
Results
Progression free survival (PFS) after SRS was 97% at 3 years, 95% at 5 years, and 94% at 10 years. Freedom from delayed surgical resection was found in 98.7% of patients. Smaller tumor volume was significantly associated with improved PFS. There were 326 patients with serviceable hearing (Gardner–Robertson 1 or 2) at the time of SRS with audiological follow-up of ≥ 1 year. Serviceable hearing preservation rates after SRS were 89.8% at 1 year, 76.9% at 3 years, 68.4% at 5 years, 62.5% at 7 years, and 51.4% at 10 years. Factors associated with improved serviceable hearing preservation included younger age, Gardner-Robertson grade 1 at SRS, and absence of subjective complaints of dysequilibrium or vertigo (vestibulopathy). Fifty-one patients (5.8%) developed trigeminal neuropathy. Fourteen (1.6%) developed a transient House-Brackmann grade 2 or 3 facial neuropathy.
Conclusions
In this report with extended follow-up, primary SRS achieved tumor growth control in 94% of patients. Optimization of long- term cranial nerve outcomes remains an important achievement of this management strategy for VS.
Optimizing outcomes in the management of patients with vestibular schwannomas (VSs) requires consideration of the patient's goals. Earlier recognition of VS by imaging has led to an evolution in ...management. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as a frequently used strategy designed to reduce management risks, obtain long-term tumor control, and preserve current neurological function. The authors analyzed features that impact hearing preservation rates in patients with serviceable hearing prior to SRS.
The study included 307 patients who had serviceable hearing (Gardner-Robertson hearing scale GR grade 1 or 2, speech discrimination score ≥ 50%, pure tone average ≤ 50 dB) at the time of SRS. The authors evaluated parameters that included age, tumor volume, hearing status, disequilibrium, tinnitus, Koos class, sex, and tumor margin dose. The Pittsburgh Hearing Prediction Score (PHPS) was evaluated as a method to predict long-term hearing outcomes in these cases.
At a median of 7.6 years after SRS (range 1-23 years), tumor control was achieved in 95% of patients. The overall serviceable hearing preservation rate was 77.8% at 3 years, 68.8% at 5 years, and 51.8% at 10 years. The PHPS assigns a total of 5 points based on patient age (1 point if < 45 years, 2 points if 45-59 years, and 3 points if ≥ 60 years), tumor volume (0 points if < 1.2 cm3, 1 point if ≥ 1.2 cm3), and GR grade (0 points if grade 1 hearing, 1 point if grade 2 hearing) The serviceable hearing preservation rate was 92.3% at 10 years in patients whose score total was 1. In contrast, none of the patients whose PHPS was 5 maintained serviceable hearing at 10 years (p < 0.001).
SRS resulted in a high rate of long-term tumor control and cranial nerve preservation. The PHPS helped to predict long-term hearing preservation rates in patients who underwent SRS when they still had serviceable hearing. The best long-term hearing preservation rates were found in younger patients with smaller tumor volumes.
Pituitary adenomas are fairly common intracranial neoplasms, and nonfunctioning ones constitute a large subgroup of these adenomas. Complete resection is often difficult and may pose undue risk to ...neurological and endocrine function. Stereotactic radiosurgery has come to play an important role in the management of patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. This study examines the outcomes after radiosurgery in a large, multicenter patient population.
Under the auspices of the North American Gamma Knife Consortium, 9 Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) centers retrospectively combined their outcome data obtained in 512 patients with nonfunctional pituitary adenomas. Prior resection was performed in 479 patients (93.6%) and prior fractionated external-beam radiotherapy was performed in 34 patients (6.6%). The median age at the time of radiosurgery was 53 years. Fifty-eight percent of patients had some degree of hypopituitarism prior to radiosurgery. Patients received a median dose of 16 Gy to the tumor margin. The median follow-up was 36 months (range 1-223 months).
Overall tumor control was achieved in 93.4% of patients at last follow-up; actuarial tumor control was 98%, 95%, 91%, and 85% at 3, 5, 8, and 10 years postradiosurgery, respectively. Smaller adenoma volume (OR 1.08 95% CI 1.02-1.13, p = 0.006) and absence of suprasellar extension (OR 2.10 95% CI 0.96-4.61, p = 0.064) were associated with progression-free tumor survival. New or worsened hypopituitarism after radiosurgery was noted in 21% of patients, with thyroid and cortisol deficiencies reported as the most common postradiosurgery endocrinopathies. History of prior radiation therapy and greater tumor margin doses were predictive of new or worsening endocrinopathy after GKS. New or progressive cranial nerve deficits were noted in 9% of patients; 6.6% had worsening or new onset optic nerve dysfunction. In multivariate analysis, decreasing age, increasing volume, history of prior radiation therapy, and history of prior pituitary axis deficiency were predictive of new or worsening cranial nerve dysfunction. No patient died as a result of tumor progression. Favorable outcomes of tumor control and neurological preservation were reflected in a 4-point radiosurgical pituitary score.
Gamma Knife surgery is an effective and well-tolerated management strategy for the vast majority of patients with recurrent or residual nonfunctional pituitary adenomas. Delayed hypopituitarism is the most common complication after radiosurgery. Neurological and cranial nerve function were preserved in more than 90% of patients after radiosurgery. The radiosurgical pituitary score may predict outcomes for future patients who undergo GKS for a nonfunctioning adenoma.
The authors of this study evaluate the long-term outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for cavernous sinus meningioma (CSM).
The authors retrospectively assessed treatment outcomes 5-18 years ...after SRS in 200 patients with CSM. The median patient age was 57 years (range 22-83 years). In total, 120 (60%) patients underwent Gamma Knife SRS as primary management, 46 (23%) for residual tumors, and 34 (17%) for recurrent tumors after one or more surgical procedures. The median tumor target volume was 7.5 cm3 (range 0.1-37.3 cm3), and the median margin dose was 13.0 Gy (range 10-20 Gy).
Tumor volume regressed in 121 (61%) patients, was unchanged in 49 (25%), and increased over time in 30 (15%) during a median imaging follow-up of 101 months. Actuarial tumor control rates at the 5-, 10-, and 15-year follow-ups were 92%, 84%, and 75%, respectively. Of the 120 patients who had undergone SRS as a primary treatment (primary SRS), tumor progression was observed in 14 (11.7%) patients at a median of 48.9 months (range 4.8-120.0 months) after SRS, and actuarial tumor control rates were 98%, 93%, 85%, and 85% at the 1-, 5-, 10-, and 15-year follow-ups post-SRS. A history of tumor progression after microsurgery was an independent predictor of an unfavorable response to radiosurgery (p = 0.009, HR = 4.161, 95% CI 1.438-12.045). Forty-four (26%) of 170 patients who had presented with at least one cranial nerve (CN) deficit improved after SRS. Development of new CN deficits after initial microsurgical resection was an unfavorable factor for improvement after SRS (p = 0.014, HR = 0.169, 95% CI 0.041-0.702). Fifteen (7.5%) patients experienced permanent CN deficits without evidence of tumor progression at a median onset of 9 months (range 2.3-85 months) after SRS. Patients with larger tumor volumes (≥ 10 cm3) were more likely to develop permanent CN complications (p = 0.046, HR = 3.629, 95% CI 1.026-12.838). Three patients (1.5%) developed delayed pituitary dysfunction after SRS.
This long-term study showed that Gamma Knife radiosurgery provided long-term tumor control for most patients with CSM. Patients who underwent SRS for progressive tumors after prior microsurgery had a greater chance of tumor growth than the patients without prior surgery or those with residual tumor treated after microsurgery.
Predictions of patient outcomes after a given therapy are fundamental to medical practice. We employ a machine learning approach towards predicting the outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery for ...cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Using three prospective databases, a machine learning approach of feature engineering and model optimization was implemented to create the most accurate predictor of AVM outcomes. Existing prognostic systems were scored for purposes of comparison. The final predictor was secondarily validated on an independent site's dataset not utilized for initial construction. Out of 1,810 patients, 1,674 to 1,291 patients depending upon time threshold, with 23 features were included for analysis and divided into training and validation sets. The best predictor had an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.71 compared to existing clinical systems of 0.63 across all time points. On the heldout dataset, the predictor had an accuracy of around 0.74 at across all time thresholds with a specificity and sensitivity of 62% and 85% respectively. This machine learning approach was able to provide the best possible predictions of AVM radiosurgery outcomes of any method to date, identify a novel radiobiological feature (3D surface dose), and demonstrate a paradigm for further development of prognostic tools in medical care.
Trigeminal neuralgia pain causes severe disability. Stereotactic radiosurgery is the least invasive surgical option for patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Since different medical and surgical ...options have different rates of pain relief and morbidity, it is important to evaluate longer-term outcomes.
The authors retrospectively reviewed outcomes in 503 medically refractory patients with trigeminal neuralgia who underwent Gamma Knife surgery (GKS). The median patient age was 72 years (range 26-95 years). Prior surgery had failed in 205 patients (43%). The GKS typically was performed using MR imaging guidance, a single 4-mm isocenter, and a maximum dose of 80 Gy.
Patients were evaluated for up to 16 years after GKS; 107 patients had > 5 years of follow-up. Eighty-nine percent of patients achieved initial pain relief that was adequate or better, with or without medications (Barrow Neurological Institute BNI Scores I-IIIb). Significant pain relief (BNI Scores I-IIIa) was achieved in 73% at 1 year, 65% at 2 years, and 41% at 5 years. Including Score IIIb (pain adequately controlled with medication), a BNI score of I-IIIb was found in 80% at 1 year, 71% at 3 years, 46% at 5 years, and 30% at 10 years. A faster initial pain response including adequate and some pain relief was seen in patients with trigeminal neuralgia without additional symptoms, patients without prior surgery, and patients with a pain duration of < or = 3 years. One hundred ninety-three (43%) of 450 patients who achieved initial pain relief reported some recurrent pain 3-144 months after initial relief (median 50 months). Factors associated with earlier pain recurrence that failed to maintain adequate or some pain relief were trigeminal neuralgia with additional symptoms and > or = 3 prior failed surgical procedures. Fifty-three patients (10.5%) developed new or increased subjective facial paresthesias or numbness and 1 developed deafferentation pain; these symptoms resolved in 17 patients. Those who developed sensory loss had better long-term pain control (78% at 5 years).
Gamma Knife surgery proved to be safe and effective in the treatment of medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia and is of value for initial or recurrent pain management. Despite the goal of minimizing sensory loss with this procedure, some sensory loss may improve long-term outcomes. Pain relapse is amenable to additional GKS or another procedure.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most frequent cancer that metastasizes to brain. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has become the management of choice for most patients with such metastatic ...tumors. Therefore, the authors endeavored to elucidate the survival and SRS outcomes for patients with NSCLC metastasis at their center.
In this single-institution retrospective analysis, the authors reviewed their experience with NSCLC metastasis during a 10-year period from 2001 to 2010. Seven hundred twenty patients underwent Gamma Knife radiosurgery. A total of 1004 SRS procedures were performed, and 3143 tumors were treated. The NSCLC subtype was adenocarcinoma in 386 patients, squamous cell carcinoma in 111 patients, and large cell carcinoma in 34 patients. The median aggregate tumor volume was 4.5 cm(3) (range 0.1-88 cm(3)).
The median survival time after diagnosis of brain metastasis from NSCLC was 12.6 months, and the median survival after SRS was 8.5 months. The 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates after SRS were 39%, 21%, and 10%, respectively. Postradiosurgery survival was decreased in patients treated with prior whole-brain radiation therapy compared with SRS alone (p = 0.003). Aggregate tumor volume was inversely related to survival after SRS (p < 0.001), and the histological subgroups demonstrated significant survival differences (p = 0.023). The overall local tumor control rate in the entire group was 92.8%. One hundred seventy-four patients (24%) underwent repeat SRS for new or resistant metastatic deposits.
Stereotactic radiosurgery is an effective means of providing local control for NSCLC metastases. Neurological function and survival benefit from serial patient monitoring and repeat SRS for new tumors.
Abstract
Context
Cushing disease (CD) due to adrenocorticotropic hormone–secreting pituitary tumors can be a management challenge.
Objective
To better understand the outcomes of stereotactic ...radiosurgery (SRS) for CD and define its role in management.
Design
International, multicenter, retrospective cohort analysis.
Setting
Ten medical centers participating in the International Gamma Knife Research Foundation.
Patients
Patients with CD with >6 months endocrine follow-up.
Intervention
SRS using Gamma Knife radiosurgery.
Main Outcome Measures
The primary outcome was control of hypercortisolism (defined as normalization of free urinary cortisol). Radiologic response and adverse radiation effects (AREs) were recorded.
Results
In total, 278 patients met inclusion criteria, with a mean follow-up of 5.6 years (0.5 to 20.5 years). Twenty-two patients received SRS as a primary treatment of CD. Mean margin dose was 23.7 Gy. Cumulative initial control of hypercortisolism was 80% at 10 years. Mean time to cortisol normalization was 14.5 months. Recurrences occurred in 18% with initial cortisol normalization. Overall, the rate of durable control of hypercortisolism was 64% at 10 years and 68% among patients who received SRS as a primary treatment. AREs included hypopituitarism (25%) and cranial neuropathy (3%). Visual deficits were related to treatment of tumor within the suprasellar cistern (P = 0.01), whereas both visual (P < 0.0001) and nonvisual cranial neuropathy (P = 0.02) were related to prior pituitary irradiation.
Conclusions
SRS for CD is well tolerated and frequently results in control of hypercortisolism. However, recurrences can occur. SRS should be considered for patients with persistent hypercortisolism after pituitary surgery and as a primary treatment in those unfit for surgery. Long-term endocrine follow-up is essential after SRS.
We studied the outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery for Cushing disease in 278 patients and found that this treatment can result in durable endocrine remission in appropriately selected patients.
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