Reirradiation of brain and skull base tumors with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for small intracranial recurrences after conventional radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS Nineteen patients who had initially undergone conventional radiotherapy to intracranial lesions, receiving a median total dose of 50 Gy in 5 weeks, were retreated with stereotactic radiotherapy for their recurrences and received a median total dose of 42 Gy in seven fractions over 2.3 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients, 15 achieved local control 3-51 months after reirradiation. No patient suffered from acute reaction, but one patient with a history of extensive radiotherapy developed progressive radionecrosis 9 months after reirradiation. CONCLUSIONS: Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy of intracranial recurrences appears to be effective in achieving in local control with negligible morbidity. We believe it merits further investigation in a prospective study.