Radiation therapy for treatment of pigmented villonodular synovitis: results of a national patterns of care study.
OBJECTIVE
The German Cooperative Group on Radiotherapy in Benign Diseases (GCG-BD) conducted a pattern-of-care study (PCS) to analyze the radiation therapy (RT) practice for pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS).


METHODS
In 2007, a structured questionnaire to assess the number of patients, the pretreatments, the RT indication, technique, target volume concepts, outcome data, and possible early or late toxicity was circulated to 227 institutions.


RESULTS
Until August 2008, a response was available from 189 institutions (83.2 %), of whom 19 (10.0 %) experienced RT for PVNS. Complete clinical information was available for 41 patients from 14 RT departments. Thirty patients (73.2 %) received postsurgical RT because of primary incomplete resection, 11 patients (26.8 %) as an adjunct after complete resections of recurrences or unclear resection status. The total doses ranged from 30 to 50 Gy (median, 36 Gy), the median single dose was 2.0 Gy. Local control was achieved 95.1%, and 82.9% had no or only slight functional impairment. The early and late toxicity was mild (<or=RTOG Grade II).


CONCLUSIONS
Radiation therapy is a safe and effective treatment for PVNS in the postoperative setting after incomplete resection, and also as a salvage option for treatment of recurrences it provides a high rate of local control.
Heyd
Reinhard
R
Department of Radiotherapy, Offenbach Hospital, Offenbach, Germany. Reiniheyd@aol.com
Micke
Oliver
O
Berger
Bernhard
B
Eich
Hans T
HT
Ackermann
Hanns
H
Seegenschmiedt
M Heinrich
MH
D005858:Germany; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013586:Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome