Response of treatment-naive brain metastases to stereotactic radiosurgery.

With improvements in survival for patients with metastatic cancer, long-term local control of brain metastases has become an increasingly important clinical priority. While consensus guidelines recommend surgery followed by stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for lesions >3 cm, smaller lesions (≤3 cm) treated with SRS alone elicit variable responses. To determine factors influencing this variable response to SRS, we analyzed outcomes of brain metastases ≤3 cm diameter in patients with no prior systemic therapy treated with frame-based single-fraction SRS. Following SRS, 259 out of 1733 (15%) treated lesions demonstrated MRI findings concerning for local treatment failure (LTF), of which 202 /1733 (12%) demonstrated LTF and 54/1733 (3%) had an adverse radiation effect. Multivariate analysis demonstrated tumor size (>1.5 cm) and melanoma histology were associated with higher LTF rates. Our results demonstrate that brain metastases ≤3 cm are not uniformly responsive to SRS and suggest that prospective studies to evaluate the effect of SRS alone or in combination with surgery on brain metastases ≤3 cm matched by tumor size and histology are warranted. These studies will help establish multi-disciplinary treatment guidelines that improve local control while minimizing radiation necrosis during treatment of brain metastasis ≤3 cm.

Salvage Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Recurrent WHO Grade 2 and 3 Meningiomas: A Multicenter Study (STORM).

PURPOSE: The role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the management of grade 2 and 3 meningiomas is not well elucidated. Unfortunately, local recurrence rates are high, and guidelines for management of recurrent disease are lacking. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted STORM (Salvage Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Recurrent WHO Grade 2 and 3 Meningiomas), a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients treated with primary SRS for recurrent grade 2 and 3 meningiomas. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data on patients with recurrent grade 2 and 3 meningioma treated with SRS at first recurrence were retrospectively collected from 8 academic centers in the United States. Patients with multiple lesions at the time of initial diagnosis or more than 2 lesions at the time of first recurrence were excluded from this analysis. Patient demographics and treatment parameters were extracted at time of diagnosis, first recurrence, and second recurrence. Oncologic outcomes, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival, as well as toxicity outcomes, were reported at the patient level. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2022, 108 patients were identified (94% grade 2, 6.0% grade 3). A total of 106 patients (98%) had upfront surgical resection (60% gross-total resection) with 18% receiving adjuvant radiation therapy (RT). Median time to first progression was 2.5 years (IQR, 1.34-4.30). At first recurrence, patients were treated with single or fractionated SRS to a median marginal dose of 16 Gy to a maximum of 2 lesions (87% received single-fraction SRS). The median follow-up time after SRS was 2.6 years. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS was 90%, 75%, and 57%, respectively, after treatment with SRS. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival was 97%, 94%, and 92%, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, grade 3 disease (HR, 6.80; 95% CI, 1.61-28.6), male gender (HR, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.47-8.26), and receipt of prior RT (HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.23-5.86) were associated with worse PFS. SRS dose and tumor volume were not correlated with progression. Treatment was well tolerated, with a 3.0% incidence of grade 2+ radiation necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest multicenter study to evaluate salvage SRS in recurrent grade 2 and 3 meningiomas. In this select cohort of patients with primarily grade 2 meningioma with a potentially more favorable natural history of delayed, localized first recurrence amenable to salvage SRS, local control rates and toxicity profiles were favorable, warranting further prospective validation.

Late-onset lymphopenia during radiation is associated with an increased risk of tumor recurrence in newly diagnosed pediatric medulloblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Recent data found a correlation between lymphopenia occurring early during craniospinal radiation therapy (RT) and risk of disease recurrence in newly diagnosed childhood medulloblastoma. However, the population included patients who received chemotherapy prior to or during RT. Here, we investigate the effect of lymphopenia during RT in patients with newly diagnosed pediatric medulloblastoma who were chemotherapy-naïve. PROCEDURE: We analyzed 79 patients with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma (ages 2-21 years) treated between 1997 and 2013 with craniospinal RT. Log-rank tests were used to determine survival differences, and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess associations between patient characteristics and lymphopenia with disease recurrence risk. RESULTS: Eighty-three percent of patients (62/75) had grade ≥3 lymphopenia by RT Week 3, with 95% developing grade ≥3 lymphopenia at some point during therapy. There was no difference in incidence of lymphopenia between those who received proton beam RT (93%) versus photon (97%). Twenty-four of 79 (30%) patients developed disease recurrence at an average 27.0 months after diagnosis. There was higher risk of disease recurrence in patients with grade ≥3 lymphopenia during RT Week 4 (log-rank p = .016; Cox p = .03) and Week 5 (log-rank p = .024; Cox p = .032); after adjusting for clinical risk group, only grade ≥3 lymphopenia at Week 4 remained prognostic (Cox p = .04). No correlation was found between risk of tumor recurrence and early lymphopenia (RT Weeks 0-3) or absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) below the median at any time during RT. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphopenia during RT Weeks 4 and 5 correlates with increased risk of tumor recurrence in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma.

Comprehensive radiotherapy for pediatric Ewing Sarcoma: Outcomes of a prospective proton study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with Ewing Sarcoma (EWS) are treated with multimodality therapy which includes radiation therapy (RT) as an option for local control. We report on the efficacy after proton radiation therapy (PRT) to the primary site for localized and metastatic EWS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two children with EWS (33 localized, 9 metastatic) treated between 2007 and 2020 were enrolled on 2 prospective registry protocols for pediatric patients undergoing PRT. PRT was delivered by passive scatter (74 %), pencil-beam scanning (12 %) or mixed technique (14 %). Treated sites included the spine (45 %), pelvis/sacrum (26 %), skull/cranium (14 %), extraosseous (10 %), and chest wall (5 %). Median radiation dose was 54 Gy-RBE (range 39.6-55.8 Gy-RBE). Patients with metastatic disease received consolidative RT to metastatic sites (4 at the time of PRT to the primary site, 5 after completion of chemotherapy). Median follow-up time was 47 months after PRT. RESULTS: The 4-year local control (LC), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 83 %, 71 %, and 86 %, respectively. All local failures (n = 6) were in-field failures. Tumor size ≥ 8 cm predicted for inferior 4-year LC (69 % vs 95 %, p = 0.04). 4-year PFS and OS rates were not statistically different in patients with localized versus metastatic disease (72 % vs 67 %, p = 0.70; 89 % vs 78 %, p = 0.38, respectively). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, LC for pediatric patients with EWS treated with PRT was comparable to that of historical patients who received photon-RT. Tumor size ≥ 8 cm predicted increased risk of local failure. Patients with metastatic disease, including non-pulmonary only metastases, received radiation therapy to all metastatic sites and had favorable survival outcomes.

ACTION: a randomized phase 3 study of ONC201 (dordaviprone) in patients with newly diagnosed H3 K27M-mutant diffuse glioma.

BACKGROUND: H3 K27M-mutant diffuse glioma primarily affects children and young adults, is associated with a poor prognosis, and no effective systemic therapy is currently available. ONC201 (dordaviprone) has previously demonstrated efficacy in patients with recurrent disease. This phase 3 trial evaluates ONC201 in patients with newly diagnosed H3 K27M-mutant glioma. METHODS: ACTION (NCT05580562) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, international phase 3 study of ONC201 in newly diagnosed H3 K27M-mutant diffuse glioma. Patients who have completed standard frontline radiotherapy are randomized 1:1:1 to receive placebo, once-weekly dordaviprone, or twice-weekly dordaviprone on 2 consecutive days. Primary efficacy endpoints are overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS); PFS is assessed by response assessment in neuro-oncology high-grade glioma criteria (RANO-HGG) by blind independent central review. Secondary objectives include safety, additional efficacy endpoints, clinical benefit, and quality of life. Eligible patients have histologically confirmed H3 K27M-mutant diffuse glioma, a Karnofsky/Lansky performance status ≥70, and completed first-line radiotherapy. Eligibility is not restricted by age; however, patients must be ≥10 kg at time of randomization. Patients with a primary spinal tumor, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, leptomeningeal disease, or cerebrospinal fluid dissemination are not eligible. ACTION is currently enrolling in multiple international sites.

Intracranial meningiomas: an update of the 2021 World Health Organization classifications and review of management with a focus on radiation therapy.

Meningiomas account for approximately one third of all primary intracranial tumors. Arising from the cells of the arachnoid mater, these neoplasms are found along meningeal surfaces within the calvarium and spinal canal. Many are discovered incidentally, and most are idiopathic, although risk factors associated with meningioma development include age, sex, prior radiation exposure, and familial genetic diseases. The World Health Organization grading system is based on histologic criteria, and are as follows: grade 1 meningiomas, a benign subtype; grade 2 meningiomas, which are of intermediately aggressive behavior and usually manifest histologic atypia; and grade 3, which demonstrate aggressive malignant behavior. Management is heavily dependent on tumor location, grade, and symptomatology. While many imaging-defined low grade appearing meningiomas are suitable for observation with serial imaging, others require aggressive management with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. For patients needing intervention, surgery is the optimal definitive approach with adjuvant radiation therapy guided by extent of resection, tumor grade, and location in addition to patient specific factors such as life expectancy. For grade 1 lesions, radiation can also be used as a monotherapy in the form of stereotactic radiosurgery or standard fractionated radiation therapy depending on tumor size, anatomic location, and proximity to dose-limiting organs at risk. Optimal management is paramount because of the generally long life-expectancy of patients with meningioma and the morbidity that can arise from tumor growth and recurrence as well as therapy itself.

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the management of metastatic central nervous system germinoma: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in treating patients with metastatic central nervous system (CNS) germinoma is controversial. METHODS: We compared the relapse-free survival (RFS) of different treatment modalities by performing a meta-analysis using published data. We summarized all data using standard descriptive statistics. We used the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate RFS and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used the log-rank test for the comparison of survival functions. RESULTS: We identified 97 patients with a median age at presentation of 15 years (range: 7-38). Sites of metastasis were cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disease only (n = 12), brain parenchyma (n = 18), spinal cord (n = 9), ventricular and CSF (n = 10), ventricular only (n = 31), and other (n = 17). The 3-year RFS among patients who received any form of radiotherapy was 89% (95% CI: 83-96) compared with 0% for patients who received a chemotherapy-only regimen (p = .001). Five-year RFS among patients who received craniospinal irradiation (CSI) was 92% (95% CI: 84-100) compared with 76.4% (95% CI: 63-90) in the non-CSI group (with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy) (p = .014). Five-year RFS of patients who received CSI less than 24 Gy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 100% compared with 92% (95% CI: 83-100) CSI dose greater than or equal to 24 Gy alone (p = .3). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis does not support avoiding spinal irradiation among patients with radiographic metastatic CNS germinoma. Future studies are needed to confirm whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy will allow a reduction of irradiation dose without compromising survival.

Prognostic factors for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with non-DIPG grade 4 gliomas: a contemporary pooled institutional experience.

PURPOSE: WHO grade 4 gliomas are rare in the pediatric and adolescent and young adult (AYA) population. We evaluated prognostic factors and outcomes in the pediatric versus AYA population. METHODS: This retrospective pooled study included patients less than 30 years old (yo) with grade 4 gliomas treated with modern surgery and radiotherapy. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were characterized using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients met criteria with median age 23.9 yo at diagnosis. Seventy-seven patients were ≥ 15 yo (79%) and 20 patients were < 15 yo (21%). Most had biopsy-proven glioblastoma (91%); the remainder had H3 K27M-altered diffuse midline glioma (DMG; 9%). All patients received surgery and radiotherapy. Median PFS and OS were 20.9 months and 79.4 months, respectively. Gross total resection (GTR) was associated with better PFS in multivariate analysis [HR 2.00 (1.01-3.62), p = 0.023]. Age ≥ 15 yo was associated with improved OS [HR 0.36 (0.16-0.81), p = 0.014] while female gender [HR 2.12 (1.08-4.16), p = 0.03] and DMG histology [HR 2.79 (1.11-7.02), p = 0.029] were associated with worse OS. Only 7% of patients experienced grade 2 toxicity. 62% of patients experienced tumor progression (28% local, 34% distant). Analysis of salvage treatment found that second surgery and systemic therapy significantly improved survival. CONCLUSION: Age is a significant prognostic factor in WHO grade 4 glioma, which may reflect age-related molecular alterations in the tumor. DMG was associated with worse OS than glioblastoma. Reoperation and systemic therapy significantly increased survival after disease progression. Prospective studies in this population are warranted.

Nivolumab and ipilimumab with concurrent stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial metastases from non-small cell lung cancer: analysis of the safety cohort for non-randomized, open-label, phase I/II trial.

BACKGROUND: Up to 20% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop brain metastasis (BM), for which the current standard of care is radiation therapy with or without surgery. There are no prospective data on the safety of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) concurrent with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for BM. This is the safety cohort of the phase I/II investigator-initiated trial of SRS with nivolumab and ipilimumab for patients with BM from NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This single-institution study included patients with NSCLC with active BM amenable to SRS. Brain SRS and systemic therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab were delivered concurrently (within 7 days). The endpoints were safety and 4-month intracranial progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Thirteen patients were enrolled in the safety cohort, 10 of whom were evaluable for dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs). Median follow-up was 23 months (range 9.7-24.3 months). The median interval between systemic therapy and radiation therapy was 3 days. Only one patient had a DLT; hence, predefined stopping criteria were not met. In addition to the patient with DLT, three patients had treatment-related grade ≥3 adverse events, including elevated liver function tests, fatigue, nausea, adrenal insufficiency, and myocarditis. One patient had a confirmed influenza infection 7 months after initiation of protocol treatment (outside the DLT assessment window), leading to pneumonia and subsequent death from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. The estimated 4-month intracranial PFS rate was 70.7%. CONCLUSION: Concurrent brain SRS with nivolumab/ipilimumab was safe for patients with active NSCLC BM. Preliminary analyses of treatment efficacy were encouraging for intracranial treatment response.

Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors.

Diencephalic tumors tend to be low grade tumors located near several critical structures, including the optic nerves, optic chiasm, pituitary, hypothalamus, Circle of Willis, and hippocampi. In children, damage to these structures can impact physical and cognitive development over time. Thus, the goal of radiotherapy is to maximize long term survival while minimizing late effects, including endocrine disruption leading to precocious puberty, height loss, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and primary amenorrhea; visual disruption including blindness; and vascular damage resulting in cerebral vasculopathy. Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy offers the potential to decrease unnecessary dose to these critical structures while maintaining adequate dose to the tumor. In this article, we review the acute and chronic toxicities associated with radiation for pediatric diencephalic tumors, focusing on the use of proton therapy to minimize treatment-related morbidity. Emerging strategies to further reduce radiation dose to critical structures will also be considered.

Characterization of recurrence patterns and outcomes of medulloblastoma in adults: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center experience.

Background: Medulloblastoma in adults is rare and treatment decisions are largely driven from pediatric literature. We sought to characterize recurrent medulloblastoma in adults. Methods: From a single-institution dataset of 200 adult patients diagnosed with medulloblastoma during 1978-2017, those with recurrence were analyzed for clinical features, treatment, and outcome. Results: Of the 200 patients, 82 (41%) with median age of 29 years (18-59) had recurrence after a median follow-up time of 8.4 years (95% CI = 7.1, 10.3). Of these, 30 (37%) were standard-risk, 31 (38%) were high-risk, and 21 (26%) had unknown-risk diseases at the time of initial diagnosis. Forty-eight (58%) presented with recurrence outside the posterior fossa, of whom 35 (43%) had distant recurrence only. Median Progression-free survival (PFS) and OS from initial surgery were 33.5 and 62.4 months, respectively. Neither PFS nor OS from initial diagnosis differed between the standard-risk and high-risk groups in those who experience recurrence (P = .505 and .463, respectively). Median OS from first recurrence was 20.3 months, also with no difference between the standard-risk and high-risk groups (P = .518). Recurrences were treated with combinations of re-resection (20 patients; 25%), systemic chemotherapy (61 patients; 76%), radiation (29 patients; 36%), stem cell transplant (6 patients; 8%), and intrathecal chemotherapy (4 patients; 5%). Patients who received radiation at recurrence had better OS (32.9 months) than those who did not (19.2 months) (P = .034). Conclusions: Recurrent medulloblastoma in adults has a poor prognosis irrespective of initial risk stratification. Recurrence commonly arises outside the posterior fossa years after initial diagnosis.

Impact of salvage surgery with or without reirradiation for skull base meningiomas recurring after prior radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: Long-term follow-up of meningiomas has demonstrated recurrence rates ranging from 2.5% to 48% after 10 years, depending on histology grade. There are limited data available to guide the management of recurrent and previously irradiated skull base meningiomas, and challenges related to salvage surgery, reirradiation, and lack of clear systemic therapy strategies remain. In this study, the authors analyzed data from their experience with recurrent and previously irradiated meningiomas to assess the impact of salvage surgery and reirradiation on progression-free survival (PFS). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 48 patients with recurrent and previously irradiated meningiomas who were treated between 1995 and 2021 was conducted. Data were extracted from medical records and included clinical, radiological, and pathologic reports. Patients were clustered according to WHO grades. The authors analyzed the complications related to reirradiation and salvage surgery and the impact of different treatment modalities on PFS using Cox proportional hazard ratios. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients (33 with WHO grade I, 11 with WHO grade II, and 4 with WHO grade III meningiomas) were treated for 143 recurrences after their first radiation treatment. For WHO grade I meningiomas, there was no change in tumor control rates with adjuvant repeat radiotherapy (HR 0.784, 95% CI 0.349-1.759; p = 0.55), and in terms of extent of resection (EOR), subtotal resection (STR) alone was associated with an increased risk of recurrence when compared with gross-total resection (GTR) (HR 3.38, 95% CI 1.268-9.036; p = 0.0189). For WHO grade II meningiomas, GTR did not significantly confer improved tumor control relative to STR (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.17-1.037; p = 0.055), but adjuvant repeat radiotherapy after STR was associated with improved outcomes (HR 0.316, 95% CI 0.13-0.768; p = 0.0029). Finally, for WHO grade III meningiomas, EOR did not correlate with outcomes (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.22-2.482; p = 0.588), but repeat radiotherapy alone was associated with a decreased odds of progression (HR 0.276, 95% CI 0.078-0.97; p = 0.0028). CONCLUSIONS: This study examined the impact of retreatment on PFS in a large cohort of patients with recurrent meningiomas that had been previously irradiated. At the time of recurrence, WHO grade I meningiomas exhibited improved PFS with GTR, subtotally resected WHO grade II meningiomas appeared to have improved PFS when reirradiated, and reirradiation in WHO grade III meningiomas showed improved PFS.

A Prospective Study of Conventionally Fractionated Dose Constraints for Reirradiation of Primary Brain Tumors in Adults.

PURPOSE: Dose constraints for reirradiation of recurrent primary brain tumors are not well-established. This study was conducted to prospectively evaluate composite dose constraints for conventionally fractionated brain reirradiation. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A single-institution, prospective study of adults with previously irradiated, recurrent brain tumors was performed. For 95% of patients, electronic dosimetry records from the first course of radiation (RT1) were obtained and deformed onto the simulation computed tomography for the second course of radiation (RT2). Conventionally fractionated treatment plans for RT2 were developed that met protocol-assigned dose constraints for RT2 alone and the composite dose of RT1 + RT2. Prospective composite dose constraints were based on histology, interval since RT1, and concurrent bevacizumab. Patients were followed with magnetic resonance imaging including spectroscopy and perfusion studies. Primary endpoint was the rate of symptomatic brain necrosis at 6 months after RT2. RESULTS: Patients were enrolled from March 2017 to May 2018; 20 were evaluable. Eighteen had glioma, 1 had atypical choroid plexus papilloma, and 1 had hemangiopericytoma. Nineteen patients were treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy, and one was treated with protons. Median RT1 dose was 57 Gy (range, 50-60 Gy). Median RT1-RT2 interval was 49 months (range, 9-141 months). Median RT2 dose was 42.4 Gy (range, 36-60 Gy). Median planning target volume was 186 cc (range, 8-468 cc). Nineteen of 20 patients (95%) were free of grade 3+ central nervous system necrosis. One patient had grade 3+ necrosis 2 months after RT2; the patient recovered fully and lived another 18 months until dying of disease progression. Median overall survival from RT2 start for all patients was 13.3 months (95% credible interval, 6.3-20.7); for patients with glioblastoma, 11.5 months (95% credible interval, 6.1-20.1). CONCLUSIONS: Brain reirradiation can be safely performed with conventionally fractionated regimens tailored to previous dose distributions. The prospective composite dose constraints described here are a starting point for future studies of conventionally fractionated reirradiation.

Late Effects of Craniospinal Irradiation Using Electron Spinal Fields for Pediatric Patients With Cancer.

PURPOSE: For children, craniospinal irradiation (CSI) with photons is associated with significant toxic effects. The use of electrons for spinal fields is hypothesized to spare anterior structures but the long-term effects remain uncertain. We studied late effects of CSI using electrons for spinal radiation therapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Records of 84 consecutive patients treated with CSI using electrons for the spine at a single institution between 1983 and 2014 were reviewed. Median age at RT was 5 (range, 1-14) years. The most common histologies were medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (59%) and ependymoma (8%). The median prescribed dose to the entire spine was 30 Gy (range, 6-45). A subset of 48 (57%) patients aged 2 to 14 at RT with clinical follow-up for ≥5 years was analyzed for late effects. Height z scores adjusted for age before and after CSI were assessed using stature-for-age charts and compared with a t test. RESULTS: At median follow-up of 19 years (range, 0-38 years), the median survival was 22 years (95% confidence interval, 12-28 years) after RT, with 47 patients (56%) alive at last follow-up. On subset analysis for late effects, 19 (40%) patients developed hypothyroidism and 5 (10%) developed secondary malignancies. Other complications reported were esophageal stricture and periaortic hemorrhage in 1 and restrictive pulmonary disease in 1 patient. Median height z score before treatment was -0.4 (36th percentile; interquartile range, -1.0 to 0.0) and at last follow-up was -2.2 (first percentile; interquartile range, -3.1 to -1.6; P < .001). Of 44 patients with spinal curvature assessments, 15 (34%) had scoliosis with median Cobb angle 15° (range, 10°-35°) and 1 (2%) required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent musculoskeletal toxic effects and predominantly decreased height were seen with long-term follow-up. Scoliosis and hypothyroidism were each seen in at least one-third of long-term survivors. However, clinically evident esophageal, pulmonary, and cardiac toxic effects were infrequent.

Changes in outcomes and factors associated with survival in melanoma patients with brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for patients with melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) have changed significantly in the last decade. Few studies have evaluated changes in outcomes and factors associated with survival in MBM patients over time. The aim of this study is to evaluate changes in clinical features and overall survival (OS) for MBM patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with MBMs from 1/1/2009 to 12/31/2013 (Prior Era; PE) and 1/1/2014 to 12/31/2018 (Current Era; CE) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were included in this retrospective analysis. The primary outcome measure was OS. Log-rank test assessed differences between groups; multivariable analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazards models and recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). RESULTS: A total of 791 MBM patients (PE, n = 332; CE, n = 459) were included in analysis. Median OS from MBM diagnosis was 10.3 months (95% CI, 8.9-12.4) and improved in the CE vs PE (14.4 vs 10.3 months, P < .001). Elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was the only factor associated with worse OS in both PE and CE patients. Factors associated with survival in CE MBM patients included patient age, primary tumor Breslow thickness, prior immunotherapy, leptomeningeal disease, symptomatic MBMs, and whole brain radiation therapy. Several factors associated with OS in the PE were not significant in the CE. RPA demonstrated that elevated serum LDH and prior immunotherapy treatment are the most important determinants of survival in CE MBM patients. CONCLUSIONS: OS and factors associated with OS have changed for MBM patients. This information can inform contemporary patient management and clinical investigations.

Contrast Enhancement Patterns in Pediatric Glioblastomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Brain tumors are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among the pediatric population. Among these, pediatric glioblastomas (GBMs) comprise 2.9% of all central nervous system tumors and have a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the imaging findings can be a prognostic factor for survival in children with GBMs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The imaging studies and clinical data from 64 pediatric patients with pathology-proven GBMs were evaluated. Contrast enhancement patterns were classified into focal, ring-like, and diffuse, based on preoperative postcontrast T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. We used the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression to evaluate the prognostic value of imaging findings. RESULTS: Patients with ring-enhanced GBMs who underwent gross total resection or subtotal resection were found to have a significantly shorter progression-free survival ( P = 0.03) comparing with other enhancing and nonenhancing glioblastomas. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we analyzed survival factors in children with pediatric glioblastomas. In the group of patients who underwent gross total resection or subtotal resection, those patients with focal-enhanced GBMs had significantly longer progression-free survival ( P = 0.03) than did those with other types of enhancing GBMs (diffuse and ring-like).

Renal function in abdominal neuroblastoma patients undergoing proton radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to analyze renal function outcomes in abdominal neuroblastoma patients undergoing proton therapy (PT). PROCEDURE: From 2011 to 2019, two single-institution Institutional Review Board-approved protocols prospectively enrolled neuroblastoma patients for data collection. To assess renal function, serum creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine clearance (CrCl) before proton therapy (pre-PT) were compared with the values at last follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 30 children with abdominal neuroblastoma with median age 3.5 years (range, 0.9-9.1) at time of PT were included in this study. All patients underwent chemotherapy and resection of primary tumor prior to PT. Two patients required radical nephrectomy. Median follow-up after PT was 35 months. Mean dose to ipsilateral and contralateral kidney was 13.9 and 5.4 Gy, respectively. No patients developed hypertension or renal dysfunction during follow-up. There was no statistically significant change in serum BUN (p = .508), CrCl (p = .280), or eGFR (p = .246) between pre-PT and last follow-up. CONCLUSION: At a median follow-up of almost 3 years, renal toxicity was uncommon after PT. Longer follow-up and larger patient cohort data are needed to further assess impact of PT on renal function in this population.

Phase I dose escalation and expansion trial of single agent ONC201 in pediatric diffuse midline gliomas following radiotherapy.

Background: ONC201, a dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) antagonist and caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) agonist, has induced durable tumor regressions in adults with recurrent H3 K27M-mutant glioma. We report results from the first phase I pediatric clinical trial of ONC201. Methods: This open-label, multi-center clinical trial (NCT03416530) of ONC201 for pediatric H3 K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma (DMG) or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) employed a dose-escalation and dose-expansion design. The primary endpoint was the recommended phase II dose (RP2D). A standard 3 + 3 dose escalation design was implemented. The target dose was the previously established adult RP2D (625 mg), scaled by body weight. Twenty-two pediatric patients with DMG/DIPG were treated following radiation; prior lines of systemic therapy in addition to radiation were permitted providing sufficient time had elapsed prior to study treatment. Results: The RP2D of orally administered ONC201 in this pediatric population was determined to be the adult RP2D (625 mg), scaled by body weight; no dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) occurred. The most frequent treatment-emergent Grade 1-2 AEs were headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and increase in alanine aminotransferase. Pharmacokinetics were determined following the first dose: T 1/2, 8.4 h; T max, 2.1 h; C max, 2.3 µg/mL; AUC0-tlast, 16.4 hµg/mL. Median duration of treatment was 20.6 weeks (range 5.1-129). Five (22.7%) patients, all of whom initiated ONC201 following radiation and prior to recurrence, were alive at 2 years from diagnosis. Conclusions: The adult 625 mg weekly RP2D of ONC201 scaled by body weight was well tolerated. Further investigation of ONC201 for DMG/DIPG is warranted.

Patterns of failure after radiation therapy in primary spinal high-grade gliomas: A single institutional analysis.

Background: Primary spinal high-grade gliomas (S-HGG) are rare aggressive tumors; radiation therapy (RT) often plays a dominant role in management. We conducted a single-institution retrospective review to study the clinicopathological features and management of S-HGGs. Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven S-HGG who received RT from 2001 to 2020 were analyzed for patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used for survival analyses. Results: Twenty-nine patients were identified with a median age of 25.9 years (range 1-74 y). Four patients had GTR while 25 underwent subtotal resection or biopsy. All patients were IDH wildtype and MGMT-promoter unmethylated, where available. H3K27M mutation was present in 5 out of 10 patients tested, while one patient harbored p53 mutation. Median RT dose was 50.4 Gy (range 39.6-54 Gy) and 65% received concurrent chemotherapy, most commonly temozolomide. Twenty-three (79%) of patients had documented recurrence. Overall, 16 patients relapsed locally, 10 relapsed in the brain and 8 developed leptomeningeal disease; only 8 had isolated local relapse. Median OS from diagnosis was 21.3 months and median PFS was 9.7 months. On univariate analysis, age, gender, GTR, grade, RT modality, RT dose and concurrent chemotherapy did not predict for survival. Patients with H3K27M mutation had a poorer PFS compared to those without mutation (10.1 m vs 45.1 m) but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .26). Conclusions: The prognosis of patients with spinal HGGs remains poor with two-thirds of the patients developing distant recurrence despite chemoradiation. Survival outcomes were similar in patients ≤ 29 years compared to adults > 29 years. A better understanding of the molecular drivers of spinal HGGs is needed to develop more effective treatment options.

Cardiac Angiosarcomas: Risk of Brain Metastasis and Hemorrhage Warrants Frequent Surveillance Imaging and Early Intervention.

PURPOSE: We evaluated a cohort of patients with cardiac angiosarcomas (CA) who developed brain metastases (BM) to define outcomes and intracranial hemorrhage (IH) risk. METHODS: We reviewed 26 consecutive patients with BM treated between 1988 and 2020 identified from a departmental CA (n=103) database. Causes of death were recorded, and a terminal hemorrhage (TH) was defined as an IH that caused death or prompted a transfer to hospice. RESULTS: The prevalence of BM was 25% (n=26/103). A total of 23 patients (88%) had IH, including 21 (81%) at initial BM diagnosis, of which 18 (86%) required hospitalization. The median platelet count at the time of IH was 235k (interquartile range, 108 to 338k).Nearly all patients died of disease (n=23, 88%) and most patients died from TH (n=13, 57%). TH occurred at BM presentation in 6 (46%) patients, whereas 3 (23%) had TH from known but untreated lesions, 2 (15%) had continued uncontrolled IH during radiation therapy, and 2 (15%) from new BM. Platelet count <50k was not associated with TH (P=0.25).Subsequent IH occurred in 9 patients (35%), and importantly, no patients who completed radiation therapy (n=10) for BM died from TH. CONCLUSION: Patients with CA frequently develop BM, and the risk of IH is high, resulting in an alarming rate of TH despite normal platelet counts. Therefore, early diagnosis and intervention are warranted. We recommend surveillance brain imaging, and importantly, once BM is detected, prompt local therapy is warranted to try and mitigate the risk of TH.