Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery for low-grade astrocytomas

Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2009;87(3):161-7. doi: 10.1159/000209297. Epub 2009 Mar 24.

Abstract

Patients with low-grade astrocytoma (LGA; 8 pilocytic astrocytomas, 2 subependymal giant cell astrocytomas, 2 fibrillary astrocytomas) were selected for treatment with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GKSRS) based on having a demarcated appearance on CT or MRI and the possibility of dose sparing of adjacent eloquent structures. A median dose of 13 Gy was prescribed to the 50% isodose line, which covered the gross tumor. The median patient age was 17.4 years. The median target volume was 4.4 cm(3). With a median follow-up of 48.2 months, 4-year tumor control and overall survival were 77 and 83%, respectively. Only 2 patients experienced symptomatic treatment-related toxicity. GKSRS can provide local control in cases of unresectable or recurrent LGA with a low incidence of side effects in carefully selected patients.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Astrocytoma / mortality
  • Astrocytoma / pathology
  • Astrocytoma / surgery*
  • Brain Neoplasms / mortality
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiosurgery / methods*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate / trends
  • Young Adult