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.
Munzenrider
J E
JE
Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University Medical School, Boston, USA.
Liebsch
N J
NJ
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