Stereotactic radiosurgery for single brainstem metastases: the cleveland clinic experience.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the imaging and clinical outcomes of patients with single brainstem metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the data from patients with single brainstem metastases treated with SRS. Locoregional control and survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
Between 1997 and 2007, 43 patients with single brainstem metastases were treated with SRS. The median age at treatment was 59 years, the median Karnofsky performance status was 80, and the median follow-up was 5.3 months. The median dose was 15 Gy (range, 9.6-24), and the median conformality and heterogeneity index was 1.7 and 1.9, respectively. The median survival was 5.8 months from the procedure date. Of the 33 patient with post-treatment imaging available, a complete radiographic response was achieved in 2 (4.7%), a partial response in 8 (18.6%), and stable disease in 23 (53.5%). The 1-year actuarial rate of local control, distant brain control, and overall survival was 85%, 38.3%, and 31.5%, respectively. Of the 43 patients, 8 (19%) died within 2 months of undergoing SRS, and 15 (36%) died within 3 months. On multivariate analysis, greater performance status (hazard ratio [HR], 0.95, p = .004), score index for radiosurgery (HR, 0.7; p = .004), graded prognostic assessment score (HR, 0.48; p = .003), and smaller tumor volume (HR, 1.23, p = .002) were associated with improved survival. No Grade 3 or 4 toxicities were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study have shown that SRS is a safe and effective local therapy for patients with brainstem metastases.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, OH, USA.
Shlomo A
SA
Koyfman
Rahul D
RD
Tendulkar
Samuel T
ST
Chao
Michael A
MA
Vogelbaum
Gene H
GH
Barnett
Lilyana
L
Angelov
Robert J
RJ
Weil
Gennady
G
Neyman
Chandana A
CA
Reddy
John H
JH
Suh
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009820:Ohio; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis; D047368:Tumor Burden