Dc. Shrieve et al., COMPARISON OF STEREOTAXIC RADIOSURGERY AND BRACHYTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA-MULTIFORME, Neurosurgery, 36(2), 1995, pp. 275-282
THE PURPOSE OF this study was to compare the efficacy of stereotactic
radiosurgery (SRS) and brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent gli
oblastoma multiforme (GBM). The patients had either progressive GBM or
pathologically proven GBM at recurrence after previous treatment for
a lower grade astrocytoma. Thirty-two patients were treated with inter
stitial brachytherapy, and 86 received treatment with stereotactic rad
iosurgery (SRS). The patient characteristics were similar in the two g
roups. Those patients treated with SRS had a median tumor volume of 10
.1 cm(3) and received a median peripheral tumor dose of 13 Gy, Patient
s treated with brachytherapy had a median tumor volume of 29 cm(3). Me
dian dose to the periphery of the tumor volume was 50 Gy delivered at
a median dose rate of 43 cGy/hour. Twenty-one patients (24%) treated w
ith SRS were alive, with a median follow-up of 17.5 months. Median act
uarial survival, measured from the time of treatment for recurrence, f
or all patients treated with SRS was 10.2 months, with survivals of 12
and 24 months being 45 and 19%, respectively. A younger age and a sma
ller tumor volume were predictive of better outcome. The tumor dose, t
he interval from initial diagnosis, and the need for reoperation were
not predictive of outcome after SRS. Five patients (16%) treated with
brachytherapy were alive, with a median follow-up of 43.3 months. The
median actuarial survival for all patients treated with brachytherapy
was 11.5 months. Survivals of 12 and 24 months were 44 and 17%, respec
tively. The age of the patient (but not tumor volume, interval from in
itial diagnosis, or tumor dose) was predictive of outcome in these pat
ients. A comparison of the results between patients treated with SRS a
nd brachytherapy indicated a similar survival rate. Nineteen patients
(22%) required reoperation after SRS, compared with 14 (44%) in the br
achytherapy group. The actuarial risk for reoperation was 33% at 12 mo
nths and 48% at 24 months after SRS, compared with 54 and 65%, respect
ively, after brachytherapy (P = 0.195). Those patients undergoing reop
eration after brachytherapy survived longer than similar patients not
undergoing reoperation. The outcome after SRS was independent of a nee
d for reoperation. The treatment of recurrent GBM with SRS resulted in
a survival rate similar to that obtained with interstitial high-activ
ity I-125 implantation. This outpatient procedure is currently the tre
atment of choice for recurrent GBM at our institution in patients whos
e disease is amenable to SRS.