BRAF-MEK Inhibition in Newly Diagnosed Papillary Craniopharyngiomas.

BACKGROUND: Craniopharyngiomas, primary brain tumors of the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, can cause clinically significant sequelae. Treatment with the use of surgery, radiation, or both is often associated with substantial morbidity related to vision loss, neuroendocrine dysfunction, and memory loss. Genotyping has shown that more than 90% of papillary craniopharyngiomas carry BRAF V600E mutations, but data are lacking with regard to the safety and efficacy of BRAF-MEK inhibition in patients with papillary craniopharyngiomas who have not undergone previous radiation therapy. METHODS: Eligible patients who had papillary craniopharyngiomas that tested positive for BRAF mutations, had not undergone radiation therapy previously, and had measurable disease received the BRAF-MEK inhibitor combination vemurafenib-cobimetinib in 28-day cycles. The primary end point of this single-group, phase 2 study was objective response at 4 months as determined with the use of centrally determined volumetric data. RESULTS: Of the 16 patients in the study, 15 (94%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 70 to 100) had a durable objective partial response or better to therapy. The median reduction in the volume of the tumor was 91% (range, 68 to 99). The median follow-up was 22 months (95% CI, 19 to 30) and the median number of treatment cycles was 8. Progression-free survival was 87% (95% CI, 57 to 98) at 12 months and 58% (95% CI, 10 to 89) at 24 months. Three patients had disease progression during follow-up after therapy had been discontinued; none have died. The sole patient who did not have a response stopped treatment after 8 days owing to toxic effects. Grade 3 adverse events that were at least possibly related to treatment occurred in 12 patients, including rash in 6 patients. In 2 patients, grade 4 adverse events (hyperglycemia in 1 patient and increased creatine kinase levels in 1 patient) were reported; 3 patients discontinued treatment owing to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In this small, single-group study involving patients with papillary craniopharyngiomas, 15 of 16 patients had a partial response or better to the BRAF-MEK inhibitor combination vemurafenib-cobimetinib. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03224767.).

Unique brain injury patterns after proton vs photon radiotherapy for WHO grade 2-3 gliomas.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) injury following brain-directed radiotherapy remains a major challenge. Proton radiotherapy (PRT) minimizes radiation to healthy brain, potentially limiting sequelae. We characterized CNS radiotoxicity, including radiation-induced leukoencephalopathy (RIL), brain tissue necrosis (TN), and cerebral microbleeds (CMB), in glioma patients treated with PRT or photons (XRT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients (19 male; median age 39.6 years) with WHO grade 2-3 gliomas treated with partial cranial radiotherapy (XRT [n = 17] vs PRT[n = 17]) were identified and matched by demographic/clinical criteria. Radiotoxicity was assessed longitudinally for 3 years post-radiotherapy via serial analysis of T2/FLAIR- (for RIL), contrast-enhanced T1- (for TN), and susceptibility (for CMB)-weighted MRI sequences. RIL was rated at whole-brain and hemispheric levels using a novel Fazekas scale-informed scoring system. RESULTS: The scoring system proved reliable (ICC > 0.85). Both groups developed moderate-to-severe RIL (62%[XRT]; 71%[PRT]) within 3 years; however, XRT was associated with persistent RIL increases in the contralesional hemisphere, whereas contralesional hemispheric RIL plateaued with PRT at 1-year post-radiotherapy (t = 2.180; P = .037). TN rates were greater with PRT (6%[XRT] vs 18%[PRT]; P = ns). CMB prevalence (76%[XRT]; 71%[PRT]) and burden (mean #CMB: 4.0[XRT]; 4.2[PRT]) were similar; however, XRT correlated with greater contralesional hemispheric CMB burden (27%[XRT]; 17%[PRT]; X2 = 4.986; P = .026), whereas PRT-specific CMB clustered at the radiation field margin (X2 = 14.7; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: CNS radiotoxicity is common and progressive in glioma patients. Injury patterns suggest radiation modality-specificity as RIL, TN, and CMB exhibit unique spatiotemporal differences following XRT vs PRT, likely reflecting underlying dosimetric and radiobiological differences. Familiarity with such injury patterns is essential to improve patient management. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and assess their impacts on neurocognitive function.

The importance of considering competing risks in recurrence analysis of intracranial meningioma.

BACKGROUND: The risk of recurrence is overestimated by the Kaplan-Meier method when competing events, such as death without recurrence, are present. Such overestimation can be avoided by using the Aalen-Johansen method, which is a direct extension of Kaplan-Meier that accounts for competing events. Meningiomas commonly occur in older individuals and have slow-growing properties, thereby warranting competing risk analysis. The extent to which competing events are considered in meningioma literature is unknown, and the consequences of using incorrect methodologies in meningioma recurrence risk analysis have not been investigated. METHODS: We surveyed articles indexed on PubMed since 2020 to assess the usage of competing risk analysis in recent meningioma literature. To compare recurrence risk estimates obtained through Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen methods, we applied our international database comprising ~ 8,000 patients with a primary meningioma collected from 42 institutions. RESULTS: Of 513 articles, 169 were eligible for full-text screening. There were 6,537 eligible cases from our PERNS database. The discrepancy between the results obtained by Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen was negligible among low-grade lesions and younger individuals. The discrepancy increased substantially in the patient groups associated with higher rates of competing events (older patients with high-grade lesions). CONCLUSION: The importance of considering competing events in recurrence risk analysis is poorly recognized as only 6% of the studies we surveyed employed Aalen-Johansen analyses. Consequently, most of the previous literature has overestimated the risk of recurrence. The overestimation was negligible for studies involving low-grade lesions in younger individuals; however, overestimation might have been substantial for studies on high-grade lesions.

Mitigating Radiotoxicity in the Central Nervous System: Role of Proton Therapy.

OPINION STATEMENT: Central nervous system (CNS) radiotoxicity remains a challenge in neuro-oncology. Dose distribution advantages of protons over photons have prompted increased use of brain-directed proton therapy. While well-recognized among pediatric populations, the benefit of proton therapy among adults with CNS malignancies remains controversial. We herein discuss the role of protons in mitigating late CNS radiotoxicities in adult patients. Despite limited clinical trials, evidence suggests toxicity profile advantages of protons over conventional radiotherapy, including retention of neurocognitive function and brain volume. Modelling studies predict superior dose conformality of protons versus state-of-the-art photon techniques reduces late radiogenic vasculopathies, endocrinopathies, and malignancies. Conversely, potentially higher brain tissue necrosis rates following proton therapy highlight a need to resolve uncertainties surrounding the impact of variable biological effectiveness of protons on dose distribution. Clinical trials comparing best photon and particle-based therapy are underway to establish whether protons substantially improve long-term treatment-related outcomes in adults with CNS malignancies.

Health-related quality of life analyses in nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma patients identifies at-risk populations.

PURPOSE: The quality of life (QoL) impact of multidisciplinary treatment for patients with nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFPMA) is unclear. We sought to investigate associations between patient factors, clinical data, and patient-reported QoL in patients with NFPMA. METHODS: Patients with treated NFPMA and > 1 year of follow up after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) and with no evidence of progressive disease were evaluated utilizing the following patient-reported outcome measures: RAND-36-Item Health Survey, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. RESULTS: 229 eligible patients completed QoL questionnaires a median of 7.7 years after initial transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). 25% of participants received radiation therapy (RT) a median of 2.0 years (0.1-22.5) after initial TSS. Patients who received RT were younger (median age 46 v 58, p < 0.0001), had larger tumors (28 mm v 22 mm, p < 0.0001), were more likely to have visual symptoms (65% v 34%, p = 0.0002), and were more likely to have hypopituitarism (93% v 62%, p < 0.0001). Patients with hypopituitarism reported worse energy and fatigue and cognitive function (p < 0.03). Patients who received RT reported significantly worse general health, physical health, physical fatigue and cognitive functioning (p < 0.05). The largest QoL differences were in patients who experienced a financial stressor, independent of treatment type. CONCLUSION: Hypopituitarism, radiation therapy after TSS, and financial stressors are associated with more impaired QoL in patients with NFPMA. Awareness of these factors can better guide use and timing of radiation therapy in addition to identifying patients who can benefit from multidisciplinary surveillance.

Therapeutic avenues for cancer neuroscience: translational frontiers and clinical opportunities.

With increasing attention on the essential roles of the tumour microenvironment in recent years, the nervous system has emerged as a novel and crucial facilitator of cancer growth. In this Review, we describe the foundational, translational, and clinical advances illustrating how nerves contribute to tumour proliferation, stress adaptation, immunomodulation, metastasis, electrical hyperactivity and seizures, and neuropathic pain. Collectively, this expanding knowledge base reveals multiple therapeutic avenues for cancer neuroscience that warrant further exploration in clinical studies. We discuss the available clinical data, including ongoing trials investigating novel agents targeting the tumour-nerve axis, and the therapeutic potential for repurposing existing neuroactive drugs as an anti-cancer approach, particularly in combination with established treatment regimens. Lastly, we discuss the clinical challenges of these treatment strategies and highlight unanswered questions and future directions in the burgeoning field of cancer neuroscience.

Defining Treatment-Related Adverse Effects in Patients with Glioma: Distinctive Features of Pseudoprogression and Treatment-Induced Necrosis.

BACKGROUND: Pseudoprogression (PP) and treatment-induced brain tissue necrosis (TN) are challenging cancer treatment-related effects. Both phenomena remain insufficiently defined; differentiation from recurrent disease frequently necessitates tissue biopsy. We here characterize distinctive features of PP and TN to facilitate noninvasive diagnosis and clinical management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with glioma and confirmed PP (defined as appearance <5 months after radiotherapy [RT] completion) or TN (>5 months after RT) were retrospectively compared using clinical, radiographic, and histopathological data. Each imaging event/lesion (region of interest [ROI]) diagnosed as PP or TN was longitudinally evaluated by serial imaging. RESULTS: We identified 64 cases of mostly (80%) biopsy-confirmed PP (n = 27) and TN (n = 37), comprising 137 ROIs in total. Median time of onset for PP and TN was 1 and 11 months after RT, respectively. Clinically, PP occurred more frequently during active antineoplastic treatment, necessitated more steroid-based interventions, and was associated with glioblastoma (81 vs. 40%), fewer IDH1 mutations, and shorter median overall survival. Radiographically, TN lesions often initially manifested periventricularly (n = 22/37; 60%), were more numerous (median, 2 vs. 1 ROIs), and contained fewer malignant elements upon biopsy. By contrast, PP predominantly developed around the tumor resection cavity as a non-nodular, ring-like enhancing structure. Both PP and TN lesions almost exclusively developed in the main prior radiation field. Presence of either condition appeared to be associated with above-average overall survival. CONCLUSION: PP and TN occur in clinically distinct patient populations and exhibit differences in spatial radiographic pattern. Increased familiarity with both conditions and their unique features will improve patient management and may avoid unnecessary surgical procedures. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Pseudoprogression (PP) and treatment-induced brain tissue necrosis (TN) are challenging treatment-related effects mimicking tumor progression in patients with brain cancer. Affected patients frequently require surgery to guide management. PP and TN remain arbitrarily defined and insufficiently characterized. Lack of clear diagnostic criteria compromises treatment and may adversely affect outcome interpretation in clinical trials. The present findings in a cohort of patients with glioma with PP/TN suggest that both phenomena exhibit unique clinical and imaging characteristics, manifest in different patient populations, and should be classified as distinct clinical conditions. Increased familiarity with PP and TN key features may guide clinicians toward timely noninvasive diagnosis, circumvent potentially unnecessary surgical procedures, and improve response assessment in neuro-oncology.

Early experience with hippocampal avoidance whole brain radiation therapy and simultaneous integrated boost for brain metastases.

PURPOSE: Cranial irradiation results in cognitive decline, which is hypothesized to be partially attributable to hippocampal injury and stem cell loss. Recent advances allow for targeted reduction of radiation dose to the hippocampi while maintaining adequate dose coverage to the brain parenchyma and additional increasing dose to brain metastases, a approach called hippocampal avoidance whole brain radiation therapy with a simultaneous integrated boost (HA-WBRT + SIB.) We review our early clinical experience with HA-WBRT + SIB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated treatments and clinical outcomes for patients treated with HA-WBRT + SIB between 2014 and 2018. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients (median age, 63.5 years, range 45.3-78.8 years) completed HA-WBRT + SIB. Median follow-up for patients alive at the time of analysis was 11.3 months. The most common histology was non-small cell lung cancer (n = 22). Most patients (n = 25) were prescribed with WBRT dose of 30 Gy with SIB to 37.5 Gy in 15 fractions. Volumetric modulated arc therapy reduced treatment time (p < 0.0001). Median freedom from intracranial progression and overall survival from completion of treatment were 11.4 months and 19.6 months, respectively. Karnofsky Performance Status was associated with improved survival (p = 0.008). The most common toxicities were alopecia, fatigue, and nausea. Five patients developed cognitive impairment, including grade 1 (n = 3), grade 2 (n = 1), and grade 3 (n = 1). CONCLUSION: HA-WBRT + SIB demonstrated durable intracranial disease control with modest side effects and merits further investigation as a means of WBRT toxicity reduction while improving long-term locoregional control in the brain.

Upfront Surgical Resection of Melanoma Brain Metastases Provides a Bridge Toward Immunotherapy-Mediated Systemic Control.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint blockade has systemic efficacy in patients with metastatic melanoma, including those with brain metastases (MBMs). However, immunotherapy-induced intracranial tumoral inflammation can lead to neurologic compromise, requiring steroids, which abrogate the systemic efficacy of this approach. We investigated whether upfront neurosurgical resection of MBM is associated with a therapeutic advantage when performed prior to initiation of immunotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An institutional review board-approved, retrospective study identified 142 patients with MBM treated with immune checkpoint blockade between 2010 and 2016 at Massachusetts General Hospital, of whom 79 received surgery. Patients were classified based on the temporal relationship between immunotherapy, surgery, and development of central nervous system metastases. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of diagnosis of MBM until death from any cause. Multivariate model building included a prognostic Cox model of OS, the effect of immunotherapy and surgical sequencing on OS, and the effect of immunotherapy and radiation sequencing on OS. RESULTS: The 2-year overall survival for patients treated with cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, programmed death 1, or combinatorial blockade was 19%, 54%, and 57%, respectively. Among immunotherapy-naïve melanoma brain metastases, surgery followed by immunotherapy had a median survival of 22.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.6-39.2) compared with 10.8 months for patients treated with immunotherapy alone (95% CI, 7.8-16.3) and 9.4 months for patients treated with immunotherapy followed by surgery (95% CI, 4.1 to ∞; p = .12). On multivariate analysis, immunotherapy-naïve brain metastases treated with immunotherapy alone were associated with increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.00-2.99) compared with immunotherapy-naïve brain metastases treated with surgery followed by immunotherapy. CONCLUSION: In treatment-naïve patients, early surgical resection for local control should be considered prior to commencing immunotherapy. A prospective, randomized trial comparing the sequence of surgery and immunotherapy for treatment-naïve melanoma brain metastases is warranted. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: In this retrospective study of 142 patients with melanoma brain metastases treated with immune checkpoint blockade, the development of melanoma brain metastases following immunotherapy was associated with decreased survival compared with diagnosis of immunotherapy-naïve brain metastases. The benefit of surgical intervention was seen in immunotherapy-naïve brain metastases in contrast to brain metastases that developed on immunotherapy. These results suggest that upfront local control with surgery for immunotherapy-naïve melanoma brain metastasis may provide a bridge toward immunotherapy-mediated systemic control.

Enrichment of HER2 Amplification in Brain Metastases from Primary Gastrointestinal Malignancies.

BACKGROUND: In nongastric gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, HER2-positive (HER2+) disease is not common. In breast cancer, HER2 status is associated with increased risk of brain metastases and response to HER2-targeted therapy. The purpose of this project was to compare HER2 status in GI cancer brain metastases versus matched prior sites of disease in order to determine if HER2+ disease is more common intracranially. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 28 patients with GI cancer who had craniotomy for brain metastases between 1999 and 2017 with intracranial metastatic tissue available at Massachusetts General Hospital. Twenty-four patients also had tissue from a prior site of disease. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER2 were performed on all samples. A tumor was defined as HER2+ if it had 3+ staining by IHC or amplification by FISH. RESULTS: A prior site of disease (including intracranial metastases) was HER2+ for 13% of evaluable patients: 3 of 11 patients with colorectal cancer and no patients with esophageal or pancreatic cancer. The most recent brain metastases were HER2+ for 32% of patients: 2 of 3 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, 3 of 10 esophageal adenocarcinomas (ACs), 3 of 14 colorectal ACs, and 1 of 1 pancreatic AC. Only 37.5% of patients with HER2+ brain metastasis had concordant HER2+ prior tissue (κ = 0.38, p = .017). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of patients with GI cancer with brain metastases, HER2+ status was more common intracranially compared with prior sites of disease. These findings suggest that testing HER2 in patients with GI cancer with brain metastases may lead to additional therapeutic options, regardless of HER2 status in previously examined tissue. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: HER2 amplification is a well-known driver of oncogenesis in breast cancer, with associated increased risk of brain metastases and response to HER2-directed therapy. In nongastric gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, HER2 amplification is not common and consequently is infrequently tested. The current study shows that brain metastases in patients with GI primary malignancies have a relatively high likelihood of being HER2 positive despite HER2 amplification or overexpression being less commonly found in matched tissue from prior sites of disease. This suggests that regardless of prior molecular testing, patients with GI cancer with brain metastases who have tissue available are likely to benefit from HER2 assessment to identify potential novel therapeutic options.

Increase of pseudoprogression and other treatment related effects in low-grade glioma patients treated with proton radiation and temozolomide.

INTRODUCTION: Concurrent radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ) is associated with radiographic pseudoprogression (PsP) in glioblastoma. The occurrence of PsP and other treatment effects is less well understood in low-grade gliomas (LGG). The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of TMZ to radiotherapy increases the incidence of PsP in adults with LGG treated with proton radiotherapy (PRT). METHODS: Chart review and volumetric MRI-analysis was performed on radiotherapy-naive adults with WHO grade II or IDH mutant WHO grade III gliomas treated with PRT between 2005 and 2015. Progression was defined by histology, new chemotherapy initiation, or progressive increase in lesion volume beyond 40% from baseline. Post treatment related effects (PTRE) were defined as new/increased T2/FLAIR or abnormal enhancement which eventually resolved or stabilized without evidence of progression for a period of 6-12 months. PsP was defined as the subset of PRTE suspicious for progression or volumetrically increased at least 40% from baseline. Pearson's chi-squared test and Cox-proportional hazards models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: There were 119 patients meeting inclusion criteria. There was an increased risk of PsP following PRT + TMZ versus PRT-alone (HR = 2.2, p = 0.006, on Cox univariate analysis). Presence of PsP was associated with improved OS (p = 0.02 with PsP as time-varying covariate). CONCLUSIONS: TMZ use, when added to PRT, was associated with increased PsP in patients with LGG; however, patients with PsP tended to achieve longer survival.

The impact of timing of immunotherapy with cranial irradiation in melanoma patients with brain metastases: intracranial progression, survival and toxicity.

Immunotherapy (IT) is increasingly incorporated in the management of metastatic melanoma patients with brain metastases, but the impact of timing of IT with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the temporal significance of IT in melanoma patients treated with cranial radiation therapy (RT) with respect to patterns of intracranial progression, overall survival (OS), and toxicity. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive melanoma patients with brain metastases undergoing cranial RT and IT between 2008 and 2015. Concurrent IT/RT was defined as IT administration within 30 days of RT. Intracranial progression, OS and radionecrosis were assessed. We identified 74 patients with 136 treated brain metastases. Median OS was 13.9 months. Performance status, pre-SRS surgery, and intracranial progression were correlated with OS. Concurrent IT/RT was used in 35 (47.3%) patients. Patients receiving concurrent IT/RT were less likely to have a BRAF mutation (p = 0.027) and more likely to be treated after 2013 (p = 0.010) compared to non-concurrently treated patients. Patients receiving concurrent IT/RT were more likely to have intracranial progression within 60-days (54.3% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.041). However, 25.7% of concurrent IT/RT patients attained ≥ 1 year intracranial progression-free survival. There were no significant differences in symptomatic radionecrosis (11.4% vs. 12.8%, p = 0.67). In conclusion, although melanoma patients with brain metastases receiving concurrent IT/RT were more likely to exhibit early intracranial disease progression, a significant proportion of non-early-progressors attained durable intracranial control. The combination of IT and cranial RT appears to be efficacious and safe. Prospective studies are required to clarify these retrospective findings.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant glioma: Evolving clinical and therapeutic implications.

The metabolic genes isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 are commonly mutated in low-grade glioma and in a subset of glioblastoma. These mutations co-occur with other recurrent molecular alterations, including 1p/19q codeletions and tumor suppressor protein 53 (TP53) and alpha thalassemia/mental retardation (ATRX) mutations, which together help to define a molecular signature that aids in the classification of gliomas and helps to better predict clinical behavior. A confluence of research suggests that glioma development in IDH-mutant and IDH wild-type tumors is driven by different oncogenic processes and responds differently to current treatment paradigms. Herein, the authors discuss the discovery of IDH mutations and associated molecular alterations in glioma, review clinical features common to patients with IDH-mutant glioma, and highlight current understanding of IDH mutation-driven gliomagenesis with implications for emerging treatment strategies. Cancer 2017;123:4535-4546. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Management of GBM: a problem of local recurrence.

Forty years ago, adjuvant treatment of patients with GBM using fractionated radiotherapy following surgery was shown to substantially improve survival compared to surgery alone. However, even with the addition of temozolomide to radiotherapy, overall survival is quite limited and local failure remains a fundamental problem, despite multiple attempts to increase dose to the tumor target. This review presents the historical background and clinical rationale leading to the current standard of care consisting of 60 Gy total dose in 2 Gy fractions to the MRI-defined targets in younger, high performance status patients and more hypofractionated regimens in elderly and/or debilitated patients. Particle therapies offer the potential to increase local control while reducing dose and, potentially, long-term neurocognitive toxicity. However, improvements in systemic therapies for GBM will need to be implemented before the full benefits of improved local control can be realized.

Visual Outcomes after Proton Beam Irradiation for Choroidal Melanomas Involving the Fovea.

PURPOSE: To report visual outcomes in patients undergoing proton beam irradiation of tumors located within 1 disc diameter of the fovea. DESIGN: Retrospective review. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with choroidal melanoma involving the fovea treated with proton beam therapy between 1975 and 2009. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-one patients with choroidal melanomas located 1 disc diameter (DD) or less from the fovea and more than 1 DD away from the optic nerve were included in this study. In a subgroup of 203 of the patients with small and medium choroidal melanomas, the effect of a reduced dose of radiation, 50 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) versus 70 Gy (RBE), on visual outcomes was analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were performed to calculate cumulative rates of vision loss and to assess risk factors for vision loss, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity and radiation complications, which included radiation maculopathy, papillopathy, retinal detachment, and rubeosis, were assessed. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-one patients were included in this study with a mean follow-up time of 68.7 months. More than one-third of patients (35.5%) retained 20/200 or better vision 5 years after proton beam irradiation. For those patients with a baseline visual acuity of 20/40 or better, 16.2% of patients retained this level of vision 5 years after proton beam irradiation. Tumor height less than 5 mm and baseline visual acuity 20/40 or better were associated significantly with a better visual outcome (P < 0.001). More than two-thirds (70.4%) of patients receiving 50 Gy (RBE) and nearly half (45.1%) of patients receiving 70 Gy (RBE) retained 20/200 or better vision 5 years after treatment, but this difference was not significant. Approximately 20% of patients with these smaller macular tumors retained 20/40 vision or better 5 years after irradiation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective analysis demonstrate that despite receiving a full dose of radiation to the fovea, many patients with choroidal melanoma with foveal involvement maintain useful vision. A radiation dose reduction from 70 to 50 Gy (RBE) did not seem to increase the proportion of patients who retain usable vision.

Neurocognitive effects of proton radiation therapy in adults with low-grade glioma.

To understand neurocognitive effects of proton radiation therapy (PRT) in patients with low-grade glioma, we evaluated 20 patients who received this therapy prospectively and over 5 years with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. 20 patients were evaluated at baseline and at yearly intervals for up to 5 years with a battery of neuropsychological measures that assessed intellectual, attention, executive, visuospatial and memory functions as well as mood and functional status. We evaluated change in cognitive functioning over time. We analyzed the relationship between cognitive performance and tumor location and also examined whether patients' performance differed from that reported in a study of normative practice effects. Overall, patients exhibited stability in cognitive functioning. Tumor location played a role in performance; those with tumors in the left hemisphere versus in the right hemisphere were more impaired at baseline on verbal measures (p < .05). However, we found greater improvement in verbal memory over time in patients with left than with right hemisphere tumors (p < .05). Results of our study, the first to investigate, in depth, neurocognitive effects of PRT in adults with low-grade gliomas, are promising. We hypothesize that the conformal advantage of PRT may contribute to preservation of cognitive functioning, although larger sample sizes and a longer period of study are required. Our study also highlights the need to consider normative practice effects when studying neurocognitive functioning in response to treatment over time, and the need to utilize comprehensive neuropsychological batteries given our findings that differentiate patients with left and right hemisphere tumors.

Proton therapy for low-grade gliomas: Results from a prospective trial.

BACKGROUND: In this prospective study, the authors evaluated potential treatment toxicity and progression-free survival in patients with low-grade glioma who received treatment with proton radiation therapy. METHODS: Twenty patients with World Health Organization grade 2 glioma who were eligible for radiation therapy were enrolled in a prospective, single-arm trial of proton therapy. The patients received proton therapy at a dose of 54 Gy (relative biological effectiveness) in 30 fractions. Comprehensive baseline and regular post-treatment evaluations of neurocognitive function, neuroendocrine function, and quality of life (QOL) were performed. RESULTS: All 20 patients (median age, 37.5 years) tolerated treatment without difficulty. The median follow-up after proton therapy was 5.1 years. At baseline, intellectual functioning was within the normal range for the group and remained stable over time. Visuospatial ability, attention/working memory, and executive functioning also were within normal limits; however, baseline neurocognitive impairments were observed in language, memory, and processing speed in 8 patients. There was no overall decline in cognitive functioning over time. New endocrine dysfunction was detected in 6 patients, and all but 1 had received direct irradiation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. QOL assessment revealed no changes over time. The progression-free survival rate at 3 years was 85%, but it dropped to 40% at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low-grade glioma tolerate proton therapy well, and a subset develops neuroendocrine deficiencies. There is no evidence for overall decline in cognitive function or QOL.

Survival patterns following brain metastases for patients with melanoma in the MAP-kinase inhibitor era.

Survival with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma is prolonged with MAP-kinase pathway inhibitors (MAPKi). Among patients with brain metastases (BM), however, the clinical course of MAPKi-treated patients is not well described. We therefore explored these patients' survival patterns compared to contemporary patients not treated with MAPKi. We analyzed 106 patients who developed melanoma BM between 2007 and 2013. Of these, 37 (35%) received de novo MAPKi for BRAF-mutant disease, which preceded BM in 49%. Immunotherapy was given to 54% of MAPKi-treated patients and 94% of those who did not receive MAPKi. We evaluated the potential influence of patient characteristics, systemic therapies, and BM-directed treatments on time to appearance of new BM and overall survival. With a median follow-up of 8.0 months after initial BM, MAPKi use was an independent predictor of prolonged survival after BM diagnosis (median 14.1 vs 7.0 months, P = 0.03, adjusted hazard ratio 0.39). This survival advantage was driven by the 16.6-month median survival of patients who initiated MAPKi after BM were diagnosed, versus 5.6 months if initiated prior to BM development (P = 0.03). Median survival from the onset of any systemic metastases was 22 months regardless of the timing of MAPKi relative to BM appearance. Time to in-brain progression was longer among patients whose MAPKi course was started after BM diagnosis, but MAPKi initiation prior to BM diagnosis was associated with longer time to intracranial involvement. These findings are consistent with potential MAPKi activity in intracranial melanoma.

Underutilization of radiation therapy in patients with glioblastoma: predictive factors and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials have demonstrated that radiation improves survival in patients with glioblastoma. The purpose of this study was to characterize the risk factors and impact of omission of radiation therapy in such patients. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program was used to identify 22,777 patients diagnosed with glioblastoma between 1988 and 2007. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify predictors associated with omission of radiation. Cox regression was used to characterize the impact of omitting radiation on all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among the entire cohort, 16,863 of 22,777 patients (74%) received radiation, whereas 5914 of 22,777 patients (26%) did not. Factors associated with omission of radiation included older age (OR=1.048 per year increase, 95% CI=1.046-1.051, P<.001), lower annual income (OR=0.93 per $10,000 increase, 95% CI=0.90-0.96, P<.001), African American race (reference=white, OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.03-1.37, P=.02), Hispanic race (OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.19-1.50, P< .001), Asian American race (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.04-1.48, P<.001), unmarried status (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.60-1.83, P< .001), and subtotal resection/biopsy (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.69-1.96, P<.001). The use of radiation was significantly associated with improved overall survival (2-year survival: 14.6% versus 4.2%, P<.001; adjusted HR=2.09, 95% CI=2.02-2.16, P<.001). When the population was restricted to patients <50 years old, these findings remained largely unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation therapy is associated with survival benefit in patients with glioblastoma, and sociodemographic factors play a significant role in the underutilization of radiation. The underlying causes for these disparities in care require further research.