Gamma knife surgery for vestibular schwannoma: 10-year experience of 195 cases

2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (Special_Supplement) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Yuh Chung ◽  
Kang-Du Liu ◽  
Cheng-Ying Shiau ◽  
Hsiu-Mei Wu ◽  
Ling-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Object. The authors conducted a study to determine the optimal radiation dose for vestibular schwannoma (VS) and to examine the histopathology in cases of treatment failure for better understanding of the effects of irradiation. Methods. A retrospective study was performed of 195 patients with VS; there were 113 female and 82 male patients whose mean age was 51 years (range 11–82 years). Seventy-two patients (37%) had undergone partial or total excision of their tumor prior to gamma knife surgery (GKS). The mean tumor volume was 4.1 cm3 (range 0.04–23.1 cm3). Multiisocenter dose planning placed a prescription dose of 11 to 18.2 Gy on the 50 to 94% isodose located at the tumor margin. Clinical and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging follow-up evaluations were performed every 6 months. A loss of central enhancement was demonstrated on MR imaging in 69.5% of the patients. At the latest MR imaging assessment decreased or stable tumor volume was demonstrated in 93.6% of the patients. During a median follow-up period of 31 months resection was avoided in 96.8% of cases. Uncontrolled tumor swelling was noted in five patients at 3.5, 17, 24, 33, and 62 months after GKS, respectively. Twelve of 20 patients retained serviceable hearing. Two patients experienced a temporary facial palsy. Two patients developed a new trigeminal neuralgia. There was no treatment-related death. Histopathological examination of specimens in three cases (one at 62 months after GKS) revealed a long-lasting radiation effect on vessels inside the tumor. Conclusions. Radiosurgery had a long-term radiation effect on VSs for up to 5 years. A margin 12-Gy dose with homogeneous distribution is effective in preventing tumor progression, while posing no serious threat to normal cranial nerve function.

2005 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Yuh Chung ◽  
Kang-Du Liu ◽  
Cheng-Ying Shiau ◽  
Hsiu-Mei Wu ◽  
Ling-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Object.The authors conducted a study to determine the optimal radiation dose for vestibular schwannoma (VS) and to examine the histopathology in cases of treatment failure for better understanding of the effects of irradiation.Methods.A retrospective study was performed of 195 patients with VS; there were 113 female and 82 male patients whose mean age was 51 years (range 11–82 years). Seventy-two patients (37%) had undergone partial or total excision of their tumor prior to gamma knife surgery (GKS). The mean tumor volume was 4.1 cm3(range 0.04–23.1 cm3). Multiisocenter dose planning placed a prescription dose of 11 to 18.2 Gy on the 50 to 94% isodose located at the tumor margin. Clinical and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging follow-up evaluations were performed every 6 months.A loss of central enhancement was demonstrated on MR imaging in 69.5% of the patients. At the latest MR imaging assessment decreased or stable tumor volume was demonstrated in 93.6% of the patients. During a median follow-up period of 31 months resection was avoided in 96.8% of cases. Uncontrolled tumor swelling was noted in five patients at 3.5, 17, 24, 33, and 62 months after GKS, respectively. Twelve of 20 patients retained serviceable hearing. Two patients experienced a temporary facial palsy. Two patients developed a new trigeminal neuralgia. There was no treatment-related death. Histopathological examination of specimens in three cases (one at 62 months after GKS) revealed a long-lasting radiation effect on vessels inside the tumor.Conclusions.Radiosurgery had a long-term radiation effect on VSs for up to 5 years. A margin 12-Gy dose with homogeneous distribution is effective in preventing tumor progression, while posing no serious threat to normal cranial nerve function.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guenther C. Feigl ◽  
Otto Bundschuh ◽  
Alireza Gharabaghi ◽  
Madjid Samii ◽  
Gerhard A. Horstmann

Object.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the volume-reducing effects of gamma knife surgery (GKS) of meningiomas with and without previous surgical treatment.Methods.A group of 127 patients with a mean age of 57.1 years (range 9–81 years) with 142 meningiomas (128 World Health Organization Grade I and 14 Grade II) were included in this study. The management strategy reduces tumor volume with surgery when necessary (81 patients). Stereotactic GKS with a Gamma Knife model C was performed in all tumors of suitable size. Magnetic resonance imaging follow-up examinations with volumetric tumor analysis was performed 6 months after treatment and annually thereafter.The mean tumor volume was 5.9 cm3(range < 5 to > 40 cm3). The mean follow-up time after GKS was 29.3 months (range 11–61 months). The mean prescription dose was 13.8 Gy (range 10–18 Gy). A reduction in volume occurred in 117 (82.4%) of all tumors, and in 20 tumors (14.1%) growth ceased. The overall tumor control rate of 96.4%. The mean volume reduction achieved with GKS was more than 46.1%. Only five tumors (3.5%) showed a volume increase.Conclusions.Gamma knife surgery was effective in reducing meningioma volume at short-term follow up. Further studies are needed to examine the development of these findings over a longer period.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (Special_Supplement) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guenther C. Feigl ◽  
Otto Bundschuh ◽  
Alireza Gharabaghi ◽  
Madjid Samii ◽  
Gerhard A. Horstmann

Object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the volume-reducing effects of gamma knife surgery (GKS) of meningiomas with and without previous surgical treatment. Methods. A group of 127 patients with a mean age of 57.1 years (range 9–81 years) with 142 meningiomas (128 World Health Organization Grade I and 14 Grade II) were included in this study. The management strategy reduces tumor volume with surgery when necessary (81 patients). Stereotactic GKS with a Gamma Knife model C was performed in all tumors of suitable size. Magnetic resonance imaging follow-up examinations with volumetric tumor analysis was performed 6 months after treatment and annually thereafter. The mean tumor volume was 5.9 cm3 (range < 5 to > 40 cm3). The mean follow-up time after GKS was 29.3 months (range 11–61 months). The mean prescription dose was 13.8 Gy (range 10–18 Gy). A reduction in volume occurred in 117 (82.4%) of all tumors, and in 20 tumors (14.1%) growth ceased. The overall tumor control rate of 96.4%. The mean volume reduction achieved with GKS was more than 46.1%. Only five tumors (3.5%) showed a volume increase. Conclusions. Gamma knife surgery was effective in reducing meningioma volume at short-term follow up. Further studies are needed to examine the development of these findings over a longer period.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 204-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albertus T. C. J. van Eck ◽  
Gerhard A. Horstmann

Object.Gamma knife surgery (GKS) for vestibular schwannoma is still associated with an additional hearing loss of approximately 30%. The purpose of this study was to record the effect on hearing preservation of maintaining a margin dose of 13 Gy while reducing the maximum dose to 20 Gy.Methods.Seventy-eight of 95 patients who entered a prospective protocol with a follow up of at least 12 months (mean 22 months) were evaluated. The mean tumor volume was 2.28 cm3. After a mean follow-up duration of 22 months, the magnetic resonance imaging—based tumor control rate was 87%. In two cases a second procedure (surgery) was necessary. Thus, the clinical control rate was 97.5%. In two cases there was an increase in trigeminal dysesthesia. One patient suffered transient facial nerve impairment. Functional hearing was preserved in 83.4% of the patients with functional hearing preoperatively.Conclusions.Reducing the maximum dose to 20 Gy seems to be an effective treatment, which probably increases preservation of functional hearing without sacrificing the high tumor control rates achieved in radiosurgery. Post-radiosurgery tumor swelling occurred in 25% of the cases and was not correlated with hearing deterioration.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (Special_Supplement) ◽  
pp. 204-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albertus T. C. J. van Eck ◽  
Gerhard A. Horstmann

Object. Gamma knife surgery (GKS) for vestibular schwannoma is still associated with an additional hearing loss of approximately 30%. The purpose of this study was to record the effect on hearing preservation of maintaining a margin dose of 13 Gy while reducing the maximum dose to 20 Gy. Methods. Seventy-eight of 95 patients who entered a prospective protocol with a follow up of at least 12 months (mean 22 months) were evaluated. The mean tumor volume was 2.28 cm3. After a mean follow-up duration of 22 months, the magnetic resonance imaging—based tumor control rate was 87%. In two cases a second procedure (surgery) was necessary. Thus, the clinical control rate was 97.5%. In two cases there was an increase in trigeminal dysesthesia. One patient suffered transient facial nerve impairment. Functional hearing was preserved in 83.4% of the patients with functional hearing preoperatively. Conclusions. Reducing the maximum dose to 20 Gy seems to be an effective treatment, which probably increases preservation of functional hearing without sacrificing the high tumor control rates achieved in radiosurgery. Post-radiosurgery tumor swelling occurred in 25% of the cases and was not correlated with hearing deterioration.


2004 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 438-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Losa ◽  
Micol Valle ◽  
Pietro Mortini ◽  
Alberto Franzin ◽  
Camillo Ferrari da Passano ◽  
...  

Object. Radiation therapy diminishes the risk of recurrence of incompletely removed nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NPA). The authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of gamma knife surgery (GKS) in patients with residual NPA following surgical debulking of the tumor. Methods. Fifty-four patients, 26 men and 28 women, ranging in age from 29 to 72 years underwent gamma knife treatment. Baseline and follow-up studies involved magnetic resonance imaging, hormone evaluation, and neuroophthalmological examination 6 and 12 months after GKS and at yearly intervals thereafter. The mean follow up after GKS was 41.1 ± 3.1 months. Two of 52 patients undergoing follow up had a recurrence 40 and 49 months after GKS. In both of these patients the treated lesion had reduced in size, but a new lesion appeared in the contralateral side of the sella turcica. The recurrence-free interval at 5 years was 88.2% (95% confidence interval 72.6–100%). Tumor volume decreased from a baseline value of 2.3 ± 0.2 to 1.7 ± 0.2 cm3 at the last follow up (p < 0.001). Twenty-two patients (42.3%) had a 20% or greater reduction in tumor volume. The administered radiation dose had been significantly higher in patients who experienced tumor reduction. Visual function and motility did not deteriorate in any patient. New cases of hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, and hypoadrenalism occurred in 12.5, 8.6, and 2.3%, respectively, of assessable patients at risk. Conclusions. Gamma knife surgery was effective in controlling the growth of residual NPA after previously performed maximal surgical debulking. The major advantage of GKS compared with fractionated radiotherapy seems to be a lower risk of side effects, especially a lower risk of hypopituitarism.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (Special_Supplement) ◽  
pp. 81-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang-Du Liu ◽  
Wen-Yuh Chung ◽  
Hsiu-Mei Wu ◽  
Cheng-Ying Shiau ◽  
Ling-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Object. The authors sought to determine the value of gamma knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of cavernous hemangiomas (CHs). Methods. Between 1993 and 2002, a total of 125 patients with symptomatic CHs were treated with GKS. Ninety-seven patients presented with bleeding and 45 of these had at least two bleeding episodes. Thirteen patients presented with seizures combined with hemorrhage, and 15 patients presented with seizures alone. The mean margin dose of radiation was 12.1 Gy and the mean follow-up time was 5.4 years. In the 112 patients who had bled the number of rebleeds after GKS was 32. These rebleeds were defined both clinically and based on magnetic resonance imaging for an annual rebleeding rate of 32 episodes/492 patient-years or 6.5%. Twenty-three of the 32 rebleeding episodes occurred within 2 years after GKS. Nine episodes occurred after 2 years; thus, the annual rebleeding rate after GKS was 10.3% for the first 2 years and 3.3% thereafter (p = 0.0038). In the 45 patients with at least two bleeding episodes before GKS, the rebleeding rate dropped from 29.2% (55 episodes/188 patient-years) before treatment to 5% (10 episodes/197 patient-years) after treatment (p < 0.0001). Among the 28 patients who presented with seizures, 15 (53%) had good outcomes (Engel Grades I and II). In this study of 125 patients, symptomatic radiation-induced complications developed in only three patients. Conclusions. Gamma knife surgery can effectively reduce the rebleeding rate after the first symptomatic hemorrhage in patients with CH. In addition, GKS may be useful in reducing the severity of seizures in patients with CH.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 230-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Kenai ◽  
Masanori Yamashita ◽  
Takaharu Nakamura ◽  
Tomoshige Asano ◽  
Michifumi Sainoh ◽  
...  

Object.The authors performed a retrospective analysis of the radiation dose to the anterior visual pathway (AVP) to assess its tolerance to gamma knife surgery.Methods.They examined five cases followed for more than 3 years. The AVP was treated with 10-Gy doses or higher.The mean maximum delivered dose to the AVP was 14 Gy. Ten gray or more was delivered to 25.5% of the ipsilateral AVP, 12 Gy or more to 12.5% of the ipsilateral AVP, and 14 Gy or more to 5.7% of the ipsilateral AVP. Although the mean follow-up period was 40.8 months (36–51 months), no cases of visual function deterioration developed.Conclusions.The tolerance dose of the AVP is considered to be less than 8 to 10 Gy; however, although the delivered dose to the AVP definitely exceeded the tolerance dose in all five cases, no visual disturbance has been identified. Longer follow up is required before any final conclusions may be drawn. Nonetheless, it is suggested that a visual disturbance may be avoided by using careful accurate dose planning even if the dose delivered to the AVP is higher than currently believed to be acceptable.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 (Special_Supplement) ◽  
pp. 230-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Kenai ◽  
Masanori Yamashita ◽  
Takaharu Nakamura ◽  
Tomoshige Asano ◽  
Michifumi Sainoh ◽  
...  

Object. The authors performed a retrospective analysis of the radiation dose to the anterior visual pathway (AVP) to assess its tolerance to gamma knife surgery. Methods. They examined five cases followed for more than 3 years. The AVP was treated with 10-Gy doses or higher. The mean maximum delivered dose to the AVP was 14 Gy. Ten gray or more was delivered to 25.5% of the ipsilateral AVP, 12 Gy or more to 12.5% of the ipsilateral AVP, and 14 Gy or more to 5.7% of the ipsilateral AVP. Although the mean follow-up period was 40.8 months (36–51 months), no cases of visual function deterioration developed. Conclusions. The tolerance dose of the AVP is considered to be less than 8 to 10 Gy; however, although the delivered dose to the AVP definitely exceeded the tolerance dose in all five cases, no visual disturbance has been identified. Longer follow up is required before any final conclusions may be drawn. Nonetheless, it is suggested that a visual disturbance may be avoided by using careful accurate dose planning even if the dose delivered to the AVP is higher than currently believed to be acceptable.


2005 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 81-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kang-Du Liu ◽  
Wen-Yuh Chung ◽  
Hsiu-Mei Wu ◽  
Cheng-Ying Shiau ◽  
Ling-Wei Wang ◽  
...  

Object. The authors sought to determine the value of gamma knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of cavernous hemangiomas (CHs). Methods. Between 1993 and 2002, a total of 125 patients with symptomatic CHs were treated with GKS. Ninety-seven patients presented with bleeding and 45 of these had at least two bleeding episodes. Thirteen patients presented with seizures combined with hemorrhage, and 15 patients presented with seizures alone. The mean margin dose of radiation was 12.1 Gy and the mean follow-up time was 5.4 years. In the 112 patients who had bled the number of rebleeds after GKS was 32. These rebleeds were defined both clinically and based on magnetic resonance imaging for an annual rebleeding rate of 32 episodes/492 patient-years or 6.5%. Twenty-three of the 32 rebleeding episodes occurred within 2 years after GKS. Nine episodes occurred after 2 years; thus, the annual rebleeding rate after GKS was 10.3% for the first 2 years and 3.3% thereafter (p = 0.0038). In the 45 patients with at least two bleeding episodes before GKS, the rebleeding rate dropped from 29.2% (55 episodes/188 patient-years) before treatment to 5% (10 episodes/197 patient-years) after treatment (p < 0.0001). Among the 28 patients who presented with seizures, 15 (53%) had good outcomes (Engel Grades I and II). In this study of 125 patients, symptomatic radiation-induced complications developed in only three patients. Conclusions. Gamma knife surgery can effectively reduce the rebleeding rate after the first symptomatic hemorrhage in patients with CH. In addition, GKS may be useful in reducing the severity of seizures in patients with CH.


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