Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment and Palliation of Skull Base Metastases

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are an uncommon entity predominantly encountered in the pediatric population. The skull is rarely involved, but these cysts have been reported to arise in the skull base. Traditional treatment has been with surgery alone; however, there is a gathering body of literature that reports alternative treatments that can achieve long-term disease-free survival. However, these therapies are predominantly directed at peripheral skeletal lesions. To the authors’ knowledge, this report is the first to describe long-term follow-up of the efficacy of Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of ABC residuum in the skull base that resulted in long-term patient stability and likely ABC obliteration.

Download Full-text

Image-Guided Multisession Radiosurgery of Skull Base Meningiomas

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers12123569 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 3569

Author(s):

Alfredo Conti ◽

Antonio Pontoriero ◽

Giuseppe Iatì ◽

Salvatore M. Cardali ◽

Anna Brogna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skull Base ◽

Stereotactic Radiosurgery ◽

Cranial Nerves ◽

Progression Free Survival ◽

Motor Deficits ◽

Intracranial Meningioma ◽

Treatment Schedule ◽

Fractionated Radiotherapy ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Skull Base Meningiomas

Background: The efficacy of single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (sSRS) for the treatment of intracranial meningioma is widely recognized. However, sSRS is not always feasible in cases of large tumors and those lying close to critically radiation-sensitive structures. When surgery is not recommended, multi-session stereotactic radiosurgery (mSRS) can be applied. Even so, the efficacy and best treatment schedule of mSRS are not yet established. The aim of this study is to validate the role of mSRS in the treatment of skull base meningiomas. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with skull base meningiomas treated with mSRS (two to five fractions) at the University of Messina, Italy, from 2008 to 2018, was conducted. Results: 156 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median follow-up period was 36.2 ± 29.3 months. Progression-free survival at 2-, 5-, and 10- years was 95%, 90%, and 80.8%, respectively. There were no new visual or motor deficits, nor cranial nerves impairments, excluding trigeminal neuralgia, which was reported by 5.7% of patients. One patient reported carotid occlusion and one developed brain edema. Conclusion: Multisession radiosurgery is an effective approach for skull base meningiomas. The long-term control is comparable to that obtained with conventionally-fractionated radiotherapy, while the toxicity rate is very limited.

Download Full-text

Patterns of skull base meningioma progression after failed radiosurgery

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/jns.2007.106.1.30 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 106 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

William T. Couldwell ◽

Chad D. Cole ◽

Ossama Al-Mefty

Keyword(s):

Skull Base ◽

Stereotactic Radiosurgery ◽

Growth Patterns ◽

World Health ◽

Benign Tumors ◽

Subtotal Resection ◽

Surgical Removal ◽

Skull Base Meningioma ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Health Organization

Object Stereotactic radiosurgery has been reported to be an effective alternative to surgical removal of small to medium benign meningiomas as well as an adjuvant treatment modality to reduce the risk of tumor progression after subtotal resection. Its efficacy has been proved by excellent short-term radiosurgically demonstrated control rates, which have been reported to approach or exceed 90% in many contemporary studies involving the use of either linear accelerator–based systems or the Gamma Knife. Little is known, however, regarding the growth patterns of meningiomas that fail to stabilize after radiosurgery. Methods The authors report 13 cases of benign skull base meningiomas (World Health Organization Grade I) that demonstrated progression after radiosurgical treatment as a primary or an adjuvant therapy. Several tumors demonstrated rapid growth immediately after radiosurgical treatment, whereas other lesions progressed in a very delayed manner in some patients (up to 14 years after treatment). Regardless of the interval after which it occurs, tumor growth can be quite aggressive once it has begun. Conclusions Skull base meningioma growth can be aggressive after failed radiosurgery in some patients, and treatment failure can occur at long intervals following treatment. Special attention must be devoted to such significant occurrences given the increasing number of patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery for benign tumors, and careful extended (> 10 years) follow up must be undertaken in all patients after radiosurgery.

Download Full-text