Results of carbon ion radiotherapy in 152 patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study summarizes the experience with raster scanned carbon ion radiation therapy (RT) at the Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Darmstadt, Germany since 1997.


METHODS
Between December 1997 and December 2002, 152 patients were treated at GSI with carbon ion RT. Eighty-seven patients with chordomas and low-grade chondrosarcomas of the skull base received carbon ion RT alone (median dose 60 GyE); 21 patients with unfavorable adenoid cystic carcinomas and 17 patients with spinal (n = 9) and sacrococcygeal (n = 8) chordomas and chondrosarcomas were treated with combined photon and carbon ion RT. Twelve patients received reirradiation with carbon ions with or without photon RT for recurrent tumors. Furthermore, 15 patients with skull base tumors other than chordoma and low-grade chondrosarcoma were treated with carbon ions.


RESULTS
Actuarial 3-year local control was 81% for chordomas, 100% for chondrosarcomas, and 62% for adenoid cystic carcinomas. Local control was obtained in 15/17 patients with spinal (8/9) and sacral (7/8) chordomas or chondrosarcomas and in 11/15 patients with skull base tumors other than chordomas and low-grade chondrosarcomas, respectively. Six of 12 patients who received reirradiation are still alive without signs of tumor progression. Common Toxicity Criteria Grade 4 or Grade 5 toxicity was not observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Carbon ion therapy is safe with respect to toxicity and offers high local control rates for skull base tumors such as chordomas, low-grade chondrosarcomas, and unfavorable adenoid cystic carcinomas.
Schulz-Ertner
Daniela
D
Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Heidelberg, INF 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. d.ertner@dkfz.de
Nikoghosyan
Anna
A
Thilmann
Christoph
C
Haberer
Thomas
T
Jäkel
Oliver
O
Karger
Christian
C
Kraft
Gerhard
G
Wannenmacher
Michael
M
Debus
Jürgen
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002244:Carbon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002817:Chordoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D063193:Heavy Ion Radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017785:Photons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D019292:Skull Base Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy
D002244:Carbon