Treatment of cystic craniopharyngioma with phosphorus-32 intracavitary irradiation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of phosphorus-32 colloid ([(32)P]) intracavitary irradiation on the treatment of patients with cystic craniopharyngiomas.


METHODS
Twenty patients with predominantly cystic craniopharyngiomas were admitted from 1981 to 2006. Eleven patients had [(32)P] intracavitary irradiation by stereotactic injection or Ommaya cyst instillation as the primary treatment, and the remaining nine had the same internal irradiation as an adjuvant treatment after tumor resection. A calculated irradiation dose of 400 approximately 500 Gy per once was delivered to the cyst wall.


CONCLUSIONS
The patients were followed up ranging from 36 to 336 months; no operative morbidity or mortality was found from [(32)P] intracavitary irradiation. Fourteen patients (70%) had tumor progression and required further two to four times intracavitary irradiation. All 20 cases achieved tumor shrinkage or stabilization with effective outcome 3-6 months after the last [(32)P] therapy. For patients with cystic craniopharyngioma, [(32)P] administration by stereotactic injection or Ommaya cyst instillation is a safe and helpful option, which could improve the life quality, prolong the life span, and enhance the survival rate of cystic craniopharyngioma patients.
Zhao
Rong
R
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
Deng
Jinglan
J
Liang
Xiaoyan
X
Zeng
Jin
J
Chen
Xiaoyuan
X
Wang
Jing
J
D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013396:Suction; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D010761:Phosphorus Radioisotopes