title: Recurrent craniopharyngioma after conformal radiation in children and the burden of treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this paper the authors present their experience treating children with recurrent craniopharyngioma who were initially managed with surgery followed by conformal radiation therapy (CRT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A departmental oncology information system was queried to identify all children (< 18 years old) who received CRT for a craniopharyngioma between 1998 and 2010 (inclusive) and specifically those who experienced tumor progression. For each patient, the authors recorded the type of recurrence (solid, cystic, or both), the time interval to first progression and each subsequent progression, the associated treatment complications, and disease status at last follow-up evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 97 patients that met criteria for entry into this study, 18 (18.6%) experienced tumor progression (9 cystic, 3 solid, 6 cystic and solid). The median time to first recurrence was 4.62 years (range 1.81-9.11 years). The subgroup included 6 female and 12 male patients with a median age of 7.54 years (range 3.61-13.83 years). Ten patients experienced first progression within 5 years of CRT. The 5- and 10-year treatment-free survival rates for the entire cohort were 89.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 80.5%-93.9%) and 76.2% (95% CI 64%-85%), respectively. Seven patients had a single episode of progression and 11 had more than 1. The time interval between each subsequent progression was progressively shorter. The 18 patients underwent 38 procedures. The median follow-up duration for this group was 9.32 years (range 4.04-19.0 years). Three patients died, including 1 from perioperative complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Craniopharyngioma progression after prior irradiation is exceedingly difficult to treat and local control is challenging despite repeated surgical procedures. Given our results, gross-total resection may need to be the surgical goal at the time of first recurrence, if possible. Decompressing new cyst formation alone has a low rate of long-term success.
authors.affiliation: Semmes-Murphey Neurologic & Spine Institute;
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klimo
authors.forename: Garrett T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Venable
authors.forename: Frederick A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Boop
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Merchant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016208:Databases, Factual; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014481:United States
keywords: CI = confidence interval; CRT = conformal radiation therapy; GKS = Gamma Knife surgery; GTR = gross-total resection; IMRT = intensity-modulated radiation therapy; PBT = proton beam therapy; SJCRH = St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; STR = subtotal resection; conformal radiation therapy; craniopharyngioma; oncology; tumor progression