Multisession stereotactic radiosurgery for large benign brain tumors of >3cm- early clinical outcomes

To evaluate the clinical outcome of linear accelerator based multisession stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for large benign brain tumors of >3cm.

Between June 2009 and May 2011, 35 patients having large benign brain tumors of >3cm (≥15 cm³) were treated by multisession stereotactic radiosurgery. This retrospective study was carried out at Neurospinal & Medical Institute Karachi. There were 17 (48.6 %) males and 18(51.4 %) females. Median age was 36 years (range: 13-65 years). Median target volume was 49.4 cm³ (range: 15-184 cm³). The median marginal dose was 25 Gy (range: 20-27.5Gy) prescribed to a median 75% isodose line (range: 65-100 %). Median number of 5 fractions were used ranging 3-5 fractions.

All the patients tolerated treatment very well. 21 (58.3%) patients had remarkable clinical improvement of neurological symptoms, 14 (38.9%) patients had stable symptoms, and only one patient had transient worsening of symptoms. No permanent neurological damage or radiation injury was seen. Radiologically, 9 (25.7%) patients achieved reduction in size of the tumor, 26(74.3 %) patients were having stable disease, and overall control rate was found to be 100 %. Median follow-up time from the end of SRS was 6.4 months (range: 1-22.5months).

Linear accelerator based multisession stereotactic radiosurgery for large benign brain tumors of >3cm is effective and well tolerated.