Radiation Therapy for Aneurysmal Bone Cysts.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare, benign, but locally aggressive bone tumor.
• Treatment options for ABC include surgery and radiation therapy (RT).
• Long-term outcomes of RT for ABC require further evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of radiation therapy (RT) for aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC).
• To determine if RT is effective as an adjuvant or alternative treatment for ABC.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 12 patients with ABC treated with RT between 1964 and 2011.
• Follow-up ranged from 3 to 36 years (median 20.5 years).
• Patients received RT doses ranging from 20 to 60 Gy, with most receiving 1.5-2.0 Gy per fraction.

Main Results:

• All 12 patients experienced positive outcomes with no adverse RT reactions at long-term follow-up.
• One patient died from unrelated cardiac issues 34 years post-RT.
• Three patients were lost to follow-up but were well at their last contact.

Conclusions:

• Radiation therapy (RT) demonstrates excellent long-term effectiveness for aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC).
• RT is a viable treatment option, either alone or as an adjuvant to surgery for ABC.
• Patients treated with RT for ABC have a favorable prognosis.