Single-Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma Spine Metastasis

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare fractionation schemes and outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated in institutional prospective spinal stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS) trials who did not previously undergo radiation treatment at the site of the SSRS. METHODS Patients enrolled in 2 separate institutional prospective protocols and treated with SSRS between 2002 and 2011 were included. A secondary analysis was performed on patients with previously nonirradiated RCC spinal metastases treated with either single-fraction (SF) or multifraction (MF) SSRS. RESULTS SSRS was performed in 47 spinal sites on 43 patients. The median age of the patients was 62 years (range 38–75 years). The most common histological subtype was clear cell (n = 30). Fifteen sites underwent surgery prior to the SSRS, with laminectomy the most common procedure performed (n = 10). All SF SSRS was delivered to a dose of 24 Gy (n = 21) while MF regiments were either 27 Gy in 3 fractions (n = 20) or 30 Gy in 5 fractions (n = 6). The median overall survival duration for the entire cohort was 22.8 months. The median local control (LC) for the entire cohort was 80.6 months with 1-year and 2-year actuarial LC rates of 82% and 68%, respectively. Single-fraction SSRS correlated with improved 1- and 2-year actuarial LC relative to MF SSRS (95% vs 71% and 86% vs 55%, respectively; p = 0.009). On competing risk analysis, SF SSRS showed superior LC to MF SSRS (subhazard ratio [SHR] 6.57, p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis for LC with tumor volume (p = 0.272), number of treated levels (p = 0.819), gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage (p = 0.225), and GTV minimum point dose (p = 0.97) as covariates, MF SSRS remained inferior to SF SSRS (SHR 5.26, p = 0.033) CONCLUSIONS SSRS offers durable LC for spinal metastases from RCC. Single-fraction SSRS is associated with improved LC over MF SSRS for previously nonirradiated RCC spinal metastases.

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Stereotactic radiosurgery for spinal metastases from renal cell carcinoma

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/spi.2005.3.4.0288 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 288-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 187

Author(s):

Peter C. Gerszten ◽

Steven A. Burton ◽

Cihat Ozhasoglu ◽

William J. Vogel ◽

William C. Welch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Renal Cell Carcinoma ◽

Tumor Progression ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Stereotactic Radiosurgery ◽

Renal Cell ◽

Spinal Metastases ◽

External Beam Radiation ◽

Content Type ◽

Single Fraction ◽

Fine Print

Object. The role of stereotactic radiosurgery in treating renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastases to the spine has previously been limited. In this study the authors evaluated the clinical outcome in patients with spinal RCC who underwent single-fraction radiosurgery. Methods. Forty-eight patients with 60 RCC metastases to the spine (six cervical, 26 thoracic, 18 lumbar, and 10 sacral) were treated with a single-fraction radiosurgery technique and were followed for a period of 14 to 48 months (median 37 months). All patients were successfully treated in an outpatient setting. The tumor volume ranged from 5.5 to 203 cm3 (mean 61.9 cm3). Forty-two of the total 60 lesions had been previously treated with external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT). The maximum tumor dose was maintained at 17.5 to 25 Gy (mean 20 Gy). The volume of the spinal cord exposed to greater than 8 Gy ranged from 0.01 to 3 cm3 (mean 0.64 cm3); the volume of the spinal canal at the cauda equina level exposed to greater than 8 Gy ranged from 0.01 to 2.2 cm3 (mean 0.65 cm3). No radiation-induced toxicity occurred during the follow-up period. Axial and radicular pain improved in 34 (89%) of 38 patients who were treated primarily for pain. Tumor control was demonstrated in seven of eight patients treated primarily for radiographically documented tumor progression. In time six patients required open surgical intervention for tumor progression that had caused neurological dysfunction after radiosurgery. Conclusions. Spinal radiosurgery can be a successful therapeutic modality for the delivery of large-dose single-fraction radiation to RCC spinal metastases that are often poorly controlled with conventional EBRT modalities.

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