Petroclival meningiomas: multimodality treatment and outcomes at long-term follow-up

To evaluate patients' clinical outcome, survival, and performance status, at the long-term follow-up evaluation after aggressive microsurgical resection of petroclival meningiomas.

During a 13-year period (1991-2004), 150 patients underwent 207 operative procedures for resection of petroclival meningiomas. The tumor size was large in 79% of the patients, with a mean tumor diameter of 3.44 cm. Tumors extended into adjoining regions in 57% of the patients. Thirty patients (20%) previously underwent operation or irradiation. One hundred patients (66%) had a single operation, 43 patients (29%) had two operations, and seven patients (5%) had three operations. Gross tumor resection was accomplished in 48 patients (32%), subtotal resection in 65 patients (43%), and partial resection in 37 patients (25%). There were no operative deaths. Postoperative complications (cerebrospinal fluid leakage, quadriparesis, infections, cranial nerve palsies, etc.) were observed in 33 patients (22%). Postoperative radiation or radiosurgery was administered to 47 of the 102 patients who had residual tumors. The outcome and survival of patients were evaluated by questionnaires, telephone calls, and review of their recent radiological images.

At the conclusion of the study, 87 patients (58%) were alive with disease and 45 patients (30%) were alive without disease. The mean follow-up period was 102 months (range, 15-180 mo). Seven patients (5%; five of the subtotal and partially resected patients and two of the total resection patients) had recurrence; of these patients, two underwent repeat resection and four were treated with gamma knife radiosurgery. One of the patients died of tumor progression with no response to gamma knife radiosurgery. The recurrence-free survival rate was 100% at 3 years, 92.7% at 7 years, and 85% at 12 years; the progression-free survival rate was 96% at 3 years, 86.8% at 7 years, and 79.5% at 12 years. The Karnofsky Performance Scale score was 78 +/- 11 preoperatively, 76 +/- 11 at 1 year postoperatively, and 84 +/- 9 at the time of the latest follow-up evaluation. Common disabilities at the time of the follow-up evaluation included diplopia, loss of hearing, balance problems, and loss of sensation in the V1 and V2 cranial nerve distribution. Most patients developed coping mechanisms.

This series has the largest number of patients with the longest follow-up period, to our knowledge, reported in the literature to date. The excellent quality of life at the time of the long-term follow-up examination for these patients warrants aggressive but judicious tumor resection, with or without radiosurgical treatment of tumor remnants.