Gamma knife radiosurgery for metastatic brain tumors from thyroid cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We report our experience using gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) for brain metastasis from thyroid cancer, which is extremely rare.


METHODS
Between 1995 and 2007, 9 patients with 26 metastatic brain tumor(s) from thyroid cancer underwent GKR. The mean patient age was 58 years (range: 10-78). Seven patients had metastases from papillary thyroid cancer, and two from medullary thyroid cancer. Five patients had solitary tumors, and four patients had multiple metastases. Three patients who had multiple metastases also underwent whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT). The mean tumor volume was 2.4 cc (range: 0.03-14.0). A median margin dose of 18.0 Gy (range: 12-20) was delivered to the tumor margin.


RESULTS
Tumor control was obtained in 25 out of 26 tumors (96%). The median progression-free period after GKR was 12 months (range: 4-53). The overall median survival after GKR was 33 months (range: 5-54). There were no procedure-related complications and six patients are still living 5-54 months after GKR.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiosurgery is an effective and minimally invasive strategy for management of brain metastases form thyroid cancer.
Kim
In-Young
IY
Department of Neurological Surgery, Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Kondziolka
Douglas
D
Niranjan
Ajay
A
Flickinger
John C
JC
Lunsford
L Dade
LD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016634:Radiosurgery; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult