Proton therapy for tumors of the skull base.
Charged particle beams are ideal for treating skull base and cervical spine tumors: dose can be focused in the target, while achieving significant sparing of the brain, brain stem, cervical cord, and optic nerves and chiasm. For skull base tumors, 10-year local control rates with combined proton-photon therapy are highest for chondrosarcomas, intermediate for male chordomas, and lowest for female chordomas (94%, 65%, and 42%, respectively). For cervical spine tumors, 10-year local control rates are not significantly different for chordomas and chondrosarcomas (54% and 48%, respectively), nor is there any difference in local control between males and females. Observed treatment-related morbidity has been judged acceptable, in view of the major morbidity and mortality which accompany uncontrolled tumor growth.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University Medical School, Boston, USA.
J E
JE
Munzenrider
N J
NJ
Liebsch
D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002817:Chordoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D061766:Proton Therapy; D011522:Protons / Q000009:adverse effects; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D011881:Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D011522:Protons