The use of stereotactic radiosurgical boost in the treatment of medulloblastomas

Charles Woo, Baldassarre Stea, Bruch Lulu, Allan Hamilton, J. Robert Cassady

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: Starting in 1992, we began using a stereotactic radiosurgical (SRS) boost for the treatment of medulloblastomas. Four patients ranging in age from 7 to 42 years old have since been treated and are the subject of this retrospective study. Methods and Materials: All patients were initially treated with a maximally debulking surgery and external beam radiotherapy, which were then followed by a stereotactic radiosurgical boost using a modified 6 MeV linear accelerator. Radiosurgical boost doses ranged from 4.50 to 10.0 Gy. Target volumes ranged from 1.1 to 8.1 cc. The procedure was well tolerated with minimal acute toxicities. Results: All four patients are alive without evidence of recurrence (at 8 to 35 months). Acute nausea and vomiting was elicited during the radiosurgical procedure in the first patient treated. We have since begun premedicating patients with antiemetics or treating under general anesthesia. Late complications consisted of panhypopituitarism in one patient, which was thought to be attributable to the previous course of whole-brain radiotherapy. We have not observed any incidence of radionecrosis in this small cohort of patients. Conclusions: Our preliminary results with the use of radiosurgery for medulloblastomas are optimistic, and we would like to suggest the inclusion of a radiosurgery boost in future clinical trials for treatment of this disease.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)761-764
Number of pages4
JournalInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
Volume37
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 1997

Keywords

  • Brain tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Radiation therapy
  • Stereotactic radiosurgery

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cancer Research

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