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Results
of interstitial brachytherapy for malignant brain tumors
Mayr MT, Crocker IR, Butker EK, Williams H, Cotsonis GA, Olson JJ
Department of Neurosurgery, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth,
Portsmouth, VA 23708, USA.
We evaluated the efficacy of brachytherapy in patients with malignant brain
tumors and assessed the factors associated with longer disease control after
treatment.
From June 1989 to October 1995, 73 patients were treated with stereotactic
brachytherapy with temporary placement of iodine-125 implants.
The median age was 52 (range 9-79).
Median KPS was 80.
There were 48 patients with a glioblastoma multiforme, 13 with an anaplastic
astrocytoma, and 12 with other tumors.
Of the 67 evaluable patients, 20 underwent brachytherapy as part of the therapy
for a newly diagnosed tumor (17 were glioblastomas) and 46 had brachytherapy at
the time of progression (28 were glioblastomas).
Median survival time for all patients undergoing brachytherapy from diagnosis
was 70.3 weeks.
Median survival from implant was 39.3 weeks.
For patients with an anaplastic astrocytoma, median survival from diagnosis and
implant was 158.1 and 36.9 weeks respectively.
For patients with a glioblastoma multiforme, median survival from diagnosis and
implant was 62.9 and 37.1 weeks respectively.
Eleven patients (16%) developed radiation necrosis.
Nine patients (13%) developed other complications.
Age and histologic diagnosis were significant predictors of survival from
diagnosis.
Age and KPS were independent predictors of time to failure after implant.
Certain characteristics, specifically younger age (<55), and a higher KPS
(</=70), appear to be associated with longer survival after
brachytherapy.
Complications, some of which are life-threatening, can and do occur.
PMID: 12239621 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12239621&dopt=Abstract |
