Gamma knife radiosurgery for renal cell carcinoma brain metastases

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 489-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Hernandez ◽  
Lucia Zamorano ◽  
Andrew Sloan ◽  
James Fontanesi ◽  
Simon Lo ◽  
...  

Object. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) in achieving a partial or complete remission of so-called radioresistant metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to propose guidelines for optimal treatment Methods. During a 5-year period, 29 patients (19 male and 10 female) with 92 brain metastases from RCC underwent GKS. The median tumor volume was 4.7 cm3 (range 0.5–14.5 cm3). Fourteen patients (48%) also underwent whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) before GKS, and two patients (6.8%) after GKS. The mean GKS dose delivered to the 50% isodose at the tumor margin was 16.8 Gy (range 13–30 Gy). All cases were categorized according to the Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) classification for brain metastases. Univariate analysis was performed to determine significant prognostic factors and survival. The overall median survival was 7 months after GKS treatment. Age, sex, Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and controlled primary disease were not predictors of survival. Combined WBRT/GKS resulted in median survival of 18, 8.5, and 5.3 months for RPA Classes I, II, and III, respectively, compared with the median survival 7.1, 4.2, and 2.3 months for patients treated with WBRT alone. Conclusions. These results suggest that WBRT combined with GKS may improve survival in patients with brain metastases from RCC. Furthermore, this improvement in survival was seen in all RPA classes.

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 785-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berndt Wowra ◽  
Michael Siebels ◽  
Alexander Muacevic ◽  
Friedrich Wilhelm Kreth ◽  
Andreas Mack ◽  
...  

Object. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic profile of repeated gamma knife surgery (GKS) for renal cell carcinoma that has metastasized to the brain on multiple occasions. Methods. Data from this study were culled from a single institution and cover a 6-year period of outpatient radiosurgery. A standard protocol for indication, dose planning, and follow up was established. In cases of distant or local recurrences, radiosurgery was undertaken repeatedly (up to six times in one individual). Seventy-five patients harboring 350 cerebral metastases were treated. Relief from pretreatment neurological symptoms occurred in 72% of patients within a few days or a few weeks after the procedure. The actuarial local tumor control rate after the initial GKS was 95%. In patients free from relapse of intracranial metastases after repeated radiosurgery, long-term survival was 91% after 4 years; median survival was 11.1 ± 3.2 months after radiosurgery and 4.5 ± 1.1 years after diagnosis of the primary kidney cancer. Survival following radiosurgery was independent of patient age and sex, side of the renal cell carcinoma, pretreatment of the cerebrum by using radiotherapy or surgery, number of brain metastases and their synchronization with the primary renal cell carcinoma, and the frequency of radiosurgical procedures. In contrast, survival was dependent on the patient's clinical performance score and the extracranial tumor status. Tumor bleeding was observed in seven patients (9%) and late radiation toxicity (LRT) in 15 patients (20%). Treatment-related morbidity was moderate and mostly transient. Late radiation toxicity was encountered predominantly in long-term survivors. Conclusions. Outpatient repeated radiosurgery is an effective and only minimally invasive treatment for multiple brain metastases from renal cell cancer and is recommended as being the method of choice to control intracranial disease, especially in selected patients with limited extracranial disease. Physicians dealing with such patients should be aware of the characteristic aspects of LRT.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1232-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideyuki Kano ◽  
Aditya Iyer ◽  
Douglas Kondziolka ◽  
Ajay Niranjan ◽  
John C. Flickinger ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Although whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) has been a standard palliative management for brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma, its benefit has been elusive because of radiobiological resistance. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the management of brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma. METHODS We reviewed records from 158 consecutive patients (men = 111, women = 47) who underwent SRS for 531 brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma. The median patient age was 61 years (range, 38-83 years), and the median number of tumors per patient was 1 (range, 1–10). Seventy-nine patients (50%) had solitary brain metastasis. Fifty-seven patients (36%) underwent prior WBRT. The median total tumor volume for each patient was 3.0 cm3 (range, 0.09-47 cm3). RESULTS The overall survival after SRS was 60%, 38%, and 19% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, with a median survival of 8.2 months. Factors associated with longer survival included younger age, longer interval between primary diagnosis and brain metastases, lower recursive partitioning analysis class, higher Karnofsky performance status, smaller number of brain metastases, and no prior WBRT. Median survival for patients with > 2 brain metastases, higher Karnofsky performance status (> 90), and no prior WBRT was 12 months after SRS. Sustained local tumor control was achieved in 92% of patients. Symptomatic adverse radiation effects occurred in 7%. Overall, 70% of patients improved or remained neurologically stable. CONCLUSION Stereotactic radiosurgery is an especially valuable option for patients with higher Karnofsky performance status and smaller number of brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma.


1998 ◽  
Vol 140 (6) ◽  
pp. 549-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Schöggl ◽  
K. Kitz ◽  
A. Ertl ◽  
K. Dieckmann ◽  
W. Saringer ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 507-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodor S. Vesagas ◽  
Jose A. Aguilar ◽  
Eduardo R. Mercado ◽  
Manuel M. Mariano

Object. The purpose of this paper was to describe the clinical outcome in patients with brain metastases who underwent gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS). Methods. The authors retrospectively reviewed the clinical courses of 54 patients with brain metastases who underwent 62 GKS procedures. This series covered a 43-month period. A total of 174 lesions were treated: 38 patients harbored solitary whereas 24 patients harbored multiple metastases. The authors assessed outcome by examining local disease control, survival, and quality of life. The overall local control rate was 85%; the mean time to failure of local control was 10.5 months; and median survival was 8.4 months. Median survival, evaluated by the log-rank test, was greater among patients with a single metastasis (p = 0.043), breast cancer (p = 0.021), and those who had undergone multiple GKS procedures for local failure (p = 0.009). The initial Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score and whole-brain radiotherapy were not significantly related to median survival. The KPS scores tended to remain stable through the follow-up period. There were no morbidities or deaths attributable to the procedure. Conclusions. Results in this series suggest that GKS can be an effective tool for the control of brain metastases. A prospective investigation should be performed to validate trends seen in this retrospective study.


2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (18_suppl) ◽  
pp. 8581-8581
Author(s):  
A. O. Fregene ◽  
P. Mobit ◽  
L. Zamorano ◽  
F. Diaz ◽  
M. Guthikonda ◽  
...  

8581 Background: Radioresistant brain metastases melanoma/renal cell carcinoma cause significant morbidity and mortality: response to whole brain external beam radiotherapy (WBXRT) is minimal, chemotherapy role is investigative, and surgery has its indications and limitations. Reports of survival with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GK) is mixed. Reports indicate that 80 to 90% of tumor failure following GK is in the margin: recent multivariate analyses indicate tumor control dependence on margin dose. This study evaluates the impact of better control of brain lesions and consequent reduction of CNS death on overall survival. Methods: Between 10/2002 and 12/2005, 24 consecutive patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma male/female radio 14/10, 20 melanoma and 4 renal cell were treated by WBXRT followed by GK radiosurgery utilizing optimized margin dose. Dose was (16 - 20 Gy) to the 50% line with adequate margin to reduce systematic and other associated errors. This was achieved by combining the separate errors associated with the procedure; extent of tumor infiltration beyond gross tumor margin; GK/procedure mechanical precision limitations; MRI image transfer spatial limitations and beam profile margin dose sensitivity. Karnofsky Performance status was 70 - 90%. Follow-up period was 52 months. Results: The mean survival period for the 24 patients with 1 - 10 lesions was 14.11 months: median survival by Kaplan-Meier was 12.0 months. This result is a significant improvement on the 5.5 months reported earlier from this institution for 1 - 5 lesions treated with non-optimized GK dosage; and data by Lavin, et al, at 8 months for predominantly solitary lesions. Conclusions: Melanoma and renal cell carcinoma brain metastases respond very well to GK radiosurgery with optimized margin dose: mean survival for these patients with 1 -3 and 4 - 10 lesions is 14.11 months and comparable to the survival of patients with brain metastases from lung and breast patients: More studies along this line are called for. Patients with multiple metastatic brain lesions from melanoma and renal cell cancers stand to benefit. No significant financial relationships to disclose.


2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 342-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason P. Sheehan ◽  
Ming-Hsi Sun ◽  
Douglas Kondziolka ◽  
John Flickinger ◽  
L. Dade Lunsford

Object. Renal cell carcinoma is a leading cause of death from cancer and its incidence is increasing. In many patients with renal cell cancer, metastasis to the brain develops at some time during the course of the disease. Corticosteroid therapy, radiotherapy, and resection have been the mainstays of treatment. Nonetheless, the median survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma metastasis is approximately 3 to 6 months. In this study the authors examined the efficacy of gamma knife surgery in treating renal cell carcinoma metastases to the brain and evaluated factors affecting long-term survival. Methods. The authors conducted a retrospective review of 69 patients undergoing stereotactic radiosurgery for a total of 146 renal cell cancer metastases. Clinical and radiographic data encompassing a 14-year treatment interval were collected. Multivariate analyses were used to determine significant prognostic factors influencing survival. The overall median length of survival was 15 months (range 1–65 months) from the diagnosis of brain metastasis. After radiosurgery, the median survival was 13 months in patients without and 5 months in those with active extracranial disease. In a multivariate analysis, factors significantly affecting the rate of survival included the following: 1) younger patient age (p = 0.0076); 2) preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale score (p = 0.0012); 3) time from initial cancer diagnosis to brain metastasis diagnosis (p = 0.0017); 4) treatment dose to the tumor margin (p = 0.0252); 5) maximal treatment dose (p = 0.0127); and 6) treatment isodose (p = 0.0354). Prior tumor resection, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or whole-brain radiation therapy did not correlate with extended survival. Postradiosurgical imaging of the brain demonstrated that 63% of the metastases had decreased, 33% remained stable, and 4% eventually increased in size. Two patients (2.9%) later underwent a craniotomy and resection for a tumor refractory to radiosurgery or a new symptomatic metastasis. Eighty-three percent of patients died of progression of extracranial disease. Conclusions. Stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of renal cell carcinoma metastases to the brain provides effective local tumor control in approximately 96% of patients and a median length of survival of 15 months. Early detection of brain metastases, aggressive treatment of systemic disease, and a therapeutic strategy including radiosurgery can offer patients an extended survival.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Georges Sinclair ◽  
M. Stenman ◽  
H. Benmakhlouf ◽  
P. Johnstone ◽  
P. Wersäll ◽  
...  

Background: The long-term benefits of local therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have been widely documented. In this context, single fraction gamma knife radiosurgery (SF-GKRS) is routinely used in the management of brain metastases. However, SF-GKRS is not always feasible due to volumetric and regional constraints. We intend to illustrate how a dose-volume adaptive hypofractionated GKRS technique based on two concurrent dose prescriptions termed rapid rescue radiosurgery (RRR) can be utilized in this particular scenario. Case Description: A 56-year-old man presented with left-sided hemiparesis; the imaging showed a 13.1 cc brain metastasis in the right central sulcus (Met 1). Further investigation confirmed the histology to be a metastatic clear cell RCC. Met 1 was treated with upfront RRR. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 10 months showed further volume regression of Met 1; however, concurrently, a new 17.3 cc lesion was reported in the boundaries of the left frontotemporal region (Met 2) as well as a small metastasis (<1 cc) in the left temporal lobe (Met 3). Met 2 and Met 3 underwent RRR and SF-GKRS, respectively. Results: Gradual and sustained tumor ablation of Met 1 and Met 2 was demonstrated on a 20 months long follow- up. The patient succumbed to extracranial disease 21 months after the treatment of Met 1 without evidence of neurological impairment post-RRR. Conclusion: Despite poor prognosis and precluding clinical factors (failing systemic treatment, eloquent location, and radioresistant histology), RRR provided optimal tumor ablation and salvage of neurofunction with limited toxicity throughout follow-up.


2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 515-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Gerosa ◽  
Antonio Nicolato ◽  
Roberto Foroni ◽  
Bruno Zanotti ◽  
Laura Tomazzoli ◽  
...  

Object. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the role of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) as a primary treatment for brain metastases by evaluating the results in particularly difficult cases such as oncotypes—which are unresponsive to radiation—cystic lesions, and highly critical locations such as the brainstem. Methods. Treatment of 804 patients with 1307 solitary (29%), single (26%), and multiple (45%) brain metastases was evaluated. Treatment planning parameters were as follows: mean tumor volume 4.8 cm3 (range 0.01–21.5 cm3), mean prescription dose 20.6 Gy (range 12–29 Gy), and mean number of isocenters 6.5 (one–19). In unresponsive oncotypes such as melanoma and renal cell carcinoma, the mean target dosages were higher. Cystic metastatic lesions were initially stereotactically evacuated and then GKS was performed. Patients with brainstem metastases were treated with lower doses. Conventional radiotherapy was used in only a minority (14%) of selected cases. The overall median patient survival time was 13.5 months, and the 1-year actuarial local progression-free survival rate was 94%, with a mean palliation index and functional independence index of 53.8 and 52.5 weeks, respectively. The local tumor control rate was 93%, with a mean follow-up period of 14 months. In the overall series, and especially in the unresponsive oncotypes, systemic disease progression was the main limiting factor with regard to patient life expectancy. Conclusions. Gamma knife radiosurgery seems to be the primary treatment option for patients harboring small-tomedium size (≤ 20-cm3) brain metastases with reasonable life expectancy and no impending intracranial hypertension. Results are better than with those obtained using whole-brain radiotherapy and comparable to the best selected surgery—radiation series, even in oncotypes unresponsive to therapeutic radiation, cystic tumors, and tumors located in the brain stem.


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