The impact of whole-brain radiation therapy on the long-term control and morbidity of patients surviving more than one year after gamma knife radiosurgery for brain metastases

2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 1125-1132 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Varlotto ◽  
John C. Flickinger ◽  
Ajay Niranjan ◽  
Ajay Bhatnagar ◽  
Douglas Kondziolka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Gamma Knife ◽  
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Brain Radiation

Gamma knife treatment for multiple metastatic brain tumors compared with whole-brain radiation therapy

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toru Serizawa ◽  
Toshihiko Iuchi ◽  
Junichi Ono ◽  
Naokatsu Saeki ◽  
Katsunobu Osato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Gamma Knife ◽  
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery ◽  
Cerebral Metastases ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation Therapy ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation ◽  
Brain Radiation ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for multiple cerebral metastases with that of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Methods. Ninety-six consecutive patients with cerebral metastases from nonsmall cell lung cancer were treated between 1990 and 1999. The entry criteria were the presence of between one and 10 multiple brain lesions at initial diagnosis, no surgically inaccessible tumors with more than a 30-mm diameter, no carcinomatous meningitis, and more than 2 months of life expectancy. The patients were divided into two groups: the GKS group (62 patients) and the WBRT group (34 patients). In the GKS group, large lesions (> 30 mm) were removed surgically and all other small lesions (≤ 30 mm) were treated by GKS. New distant lesions were treated by repeated GKS without prophylactic WBRT. In the WBRT group, the patients were treated by the traditional combined therapy of WBRT and surgery. In both groups, chemotherapy was administered according to the primary physician's protocol. The two groups did not differ in terms of age, sex, initial Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, type, lesion number, and size of lesion, systemic control, and chemotherapy. Neurological survival and qualitative survival of the GKS group were longer than those of the WBRT group. In multivariate analysis, significant poor prognostic factors were systemically uncontrolled patients, WBRT group, and poor initial KPS score. Conclusions. Gamma knife radiosurgery without prophylactic WBRT could be a primary choice of treatment for patients with as many as 10 cerebral metastases from nonsmall cell cancer.

Incidence, timing, and treatment of new brain metastases after Gamma Knife surgery for limited brain disease: the case for reducing the use of whole-brain radiation therapy

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Rush ◽  
Robert E. Elliott ◽  
Amr Morsi ◽  
Nisha Mehta ◽  
Jeri Spriet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Gamma Knife ◽  
Gamma Knife Surgery ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation Therapy ◽  
Leptomeningeal Disease ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation ◽  
Brain Radiation

Object In this paper, the authors' goal was to analyze the incidence, timing, and treatment of new metastases following initial treatment with 20-Gy Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) alone in patients with limited brain metastases without whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT). Methods A retrospective analysis of 114 consecutive adults (75 women and 34 men; median age 61 years) with KPS scores of 60 or higher who received GKS for 1–3 brain metastases ≤ 2 cm was performed (median lesion volume 0.35 cm3). Five patients lacking follow-up data were excluded from analysis. After treatment, patients underwent MR imaging at 6 weeks and every 3 months thereafter. New metastases were preferentially treated with additional GKS. Indications for WBRT included development of numerous metastases, leptomeningeal disease, or diffuse surgical-site recurrence. Results The median overall survival from GKS was 13.8 months. Excluding the 3 patients who died before follow-up imaging, 12 patients (11.3%) experienced local failure at a median of 7.4 months. Fifty-three patients (50%) developed new metastases at a median of 5 months. Six (7%) of 86 instances of new lesions were symptomatic. Most patients (67%) with distant failures were successfully treated using salvage GKS alone. Whole-brain radiotherapy was indicated in 20 patients (18.3%). Thirteen patients (11.9%) died of neurological disease. Conclusions For patients with limited brain metastases and functional independence, 20-Gy GKS provides excellent disease control and high-functioning survival with minimal morbidity. New metastases developed in almost 50% of patients, but additional GKS was extremely effective in controlling disease. Using our algorithm, fewer than 20% of patients required WBRT, and only 12% died of progressive intracranial disease.

The Louisiana State University Experience in the Management of Single Small Cerebellar Metastasis

Neurosurgery ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 1515-1522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijayakumar Javalkar ◽  
Raul Cardenas ◽  
Federico Ampil ◽  
Osama Ahmed ◽  
Runhua Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radiation Therapy ◽  
Gamma Knife ◽  
Median Survival ◽  
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation Therapy ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Whole Brain Radiation ◽  
Brain Radiation ◽  
Cerebellar Metastasis

Abstract BACKGROUND: Cerebellar metastasis is often believed to be a more immediately life-threatening complication than brain metastasis in other locations. It is considered a negative prognostic factor in patients with systemic cancers. Despite its clinical importance and technological advances, the survival outcomes of patients with single small cerebellar metastases are rarely studied. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate our experience in the management of patients with single small cerebellar metastasis and compare the treatment modalities. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 35 patients with single small cerebellar metastasis were included in this retrospective analysis. Of the 35 patients, 24 had surgery followed by whole-brain radiation therapy and 11 had Gamma Knife radiosurgery alone. RESULTS: The median survival for the whole cohort was 5.6 months after the intervention. No significant differences were noted in median survival between the surgery plus whole-brain radiation therapy and the Gamma Knife radiosurgery alone groups (6.3 months: 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.0-8.6; vs 5.0 months: 95% CI, 1.9-8.1; P = .9). There was no difference in the median time to local progression, distance progression, and overall progression between the 2 groups. Patients with hydrocephalus had a significantly lower survival rate (median, 3.3 months; 95% CI, 0.0-6.6) compared with those without hydrocephalus (median, 6.9 months; 95% CI, 4.4-9.8; P = .02). In the Cox regression model, the significant predictor of survival was hydrocephalus (P = .01; hazard ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.3-9.1) after propensity score adjustment. CONCLUSION: Treatment with Gamma Knife radiosurgery alone and surgery plus whole-brain radiation therapy were both efficacious in patients with single small cerebellar metastasis. Overall survival was nearly identical in both treatment groups.

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