LINAC Radiosurgery for Metastatic Brain Tumors

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The authors take a group of patient who have undergone radiosurgery for the treatment of metastatic brain tumor, and conduct a retrospective analysis on the therapeutic response and prognotic factors which influenced the outcome. METHODS: The cases of metastatic brain tumor managed with radiosurgery at our hospital between January of 1996 and December of 2000 were 26. Second radiosurgery was performed for new metastasis in two patients. RESULTS: Average age of patients was 59.3 years. A single lesion was found in 17 cases while multiple lesions were found in 11 cases. Median survival period of the pateints who have undergone radiosurgery was 53 weeks, and survival rate at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months was 84.6%, 53.9%, and 19.6% respectively. Overall tumor-control-rate was 92.9%. There was one case of radiation necrosis as a complication. Extracranial metastasis, controlled primary cancer and above 70 of Karnofsky performance scale score were statistically significant prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSION: Radiosurgery is safe and effective in the treatment of metastatic brain tumor. And the control of primary malignant tumor, the presence of extracranial metastasis and above 70 of KPS have seen shown to influence the therapeutic response and prognosis.