Radiosurgery for treatment of recurrent intracranial hemangiopericytomas

Hemangiopericytomas are highly aggressive meningeal tumors with tendencies for recurrence and metastasis. The purpose of this retrospective, single-institution review was to evaluate the efficacy and role of stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of recurrent hemangiopericytomas.

We reviewed data for patients who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh between 1987 and 2001. Fourteen patients underwent radiosurgery for 15 discrete tumors. Prior treatments included transsphenoidal resection (n = 1), craniotomy and resection (n = 27), embolization (n = 1), and conventional radiotherapy (n = 7). Clinical and radiological responses were evaluated. Follow-up periods varied from 5 to 76 months (mean, 31.3 mo; median, 21 mo). The mean radiation dose to the tumor margin was 15 Gy.

Seventy-nine percent of patients (11 of 14 patients) with recurrent hemangiopericytomas demonstrated local tumor control after radiosurgery. Twelve of 15 tumors (i.e., 80%) dramatically decreased in size on follow-up imaging scans. Regional intracranial recurrences were retreated with radiosurgery for two patients (i.e., 15%); neither of those two patients experienced long-term tumor control. Local recurrences occurred 12 to 75 months (median, 21 mo) after radiosurgery. Local tumor control and survival rates at 5 years after radiosurgery were 76 and 100%, respectively (Kaplan-Meier method). We could not correlate prior irradiation or tumor size with tumor control. Twenty-nine percent of the patients (4 of 14 patients) developed remote metastases. Radiosurgery did not seem to offer protection against the development of intra- or extracranial metastases.

Gamma knife radiosurgery provided local tumor control for 80% of recurrent hemangiopericytomas. When residual tumor is identified after resection or radiotherapy, early radiosurgery should be considered as a feasible treatment modality. Despite local tumor control, patients are still at risk for distant metastasis. Diligent clinical and radiological follow-up monitoring is necessary.