The value of high-dose radiotherapy in intracranial ependymoma

We sought to evaluate the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy dose on overall survival (OS) after surgical resection for localized intracranial ependymoma.

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried from 2004 to 2015 for patients of all ages with intracranial WHO grade II to III ependymoma treated with surgery and 4500 to 7000 cGy of adjuvant radiotherapy. Pearson χ² test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess clinicodemographic factors and patterns of care. After propensity-score matching, OS was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analyses and doubly robust estimation with multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling.

Of the 1153 patients meeting criteria, 529 (46%) received ≤ 5400 cGy and 624 (54%) received > 5400 cGy. At a median follow-up of 54.5 months, an OS benefit was observed for > 5400 cGy in pediatric patients aged 2-18 years (hazard ratio [HR] 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.99, P = 0.047). No OS difference was found between ≤ 5400 cGy and > 5400 cGy in pediatric patients aged < 2 years (P = 0.819) or in adults (P = 0.180). Increasing age, WHO grade III, subtotal resection, and receipt of chemotherapy portended worse OS. Age 2 to 18 years, WHO III grade, supratentorial location, and receipt of chemotherapy were associated with receiving > 5400 cGy.

Adjuvant radiotherapy dose > 5400 cGy was associated with improved OS for children aged 2-18 years with WHO grade II-III intracranial ependymoma. No OS benefit was found with > 5400 cGy in adults or children less than two years of age.