Gamma Knife Surgery for Residual or Recurrent Craniopharyngioma After Surgical Resection: A Multi-institutional Retrospective Study in Japan

Enhanced outcomes in residual or recurrent craniopharyngioma: evaluating combined gamma knife and phosphorus-32 brachytherapy

BACKGROUND

Managing residual and recurrent craniopharyngioma effectively is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study evaluates the combined use of gamma knife and phosphorus-32 brachytherapy, offering insights into alternative, less invasive treatment strategies.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 97 patients treated from 2010 to 2016 for residual and recurrent craniopharyngioma using gamma knife and phosphorus-32 brachytherapy. We classified these patients into three groups: superficial solid (Group A), simple cystic (Group B), and mixed cystic-solid (Group C). We assessed the treatment's effectiveness by the tumor control rates and evaluated safety by monitoring vision, endocrine function improvements, and complication rates.

RESULTS

The treatment achieved complete and adequate control rates of 49.5% and 87.6%, respectively. We observed improvements in vision or visual fields in 55.1% of the patients. The morbidity rate was 15.5%. The study found no significant differences in tumor control rates among the various lesion types.

CONCLUSION

The combination of gamma knife and phosphorus-32 brachytherapy presents a viable, minimally invasive alternative for treating residual and recurrent craniopharyngioma. It offers high tumor control and functional improvement rates, suggesting its potential as a preferred strategy in some instances.

The Role of Surgical Approaches in the Multi-Modal Management of Adult Craniopharyngiomas

Craniopharyngiomas are rare, benign primary brain tumors that arise from remnants of the craniopharyngeal duct epithelium within the sellar and suprasellar region. Despite their benign biology, they may cause significant morbidity, secondary to involvement of nearby eloquent neural structures, such as the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and optic apparatus. Historically, aggressive surgical resection was the treatment goal to minimize risk of tumor recurrence via open transcranial midline, anterolateral, and lateral approaches, but could lead to clinical sequela of visual, endocrine, and hypothalamic dysfunction. However, recent advances in the endoscopic endonasal approach over the last decade have mostly supplanted transcranial surgery as the optimal surgical approach for these tumors. With viable options for adjuvant radiation therapy, targeted medical treatment, and alternative minimally invasive surgical approaches, the management paradigm for craniopharyngiomas has shifted from aggressive open resection to more minimally invasive but maximally safe resection, emphasizing quality of life issues, particularly in regards to visual, endocrine, and hypothalamic function. This review provides an update on current multi-modal approaches for craniopharyngiomas, highlighting the modern surgical treatment paradigm for this disease entity.

Treatment of Cystic Craniopharyngiomas: An Update

In spite of the significant technical and technological progress in neurosurgery and the continuous discoveries by the basic research, adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma remains a significant clinical challenge. Actually, the huge size of the tumor, its multiple cystic components, the encasement of Willis' circle and optic pathways, and the invasion of the hypothalamus often prevent its safe surgical resection. Moreover, the local aggressiveness of the tumor accounts for a high risk of recurrence even after a gross total resection. For these reasons, more and more efforts are being dedicated to enhance the knowledge about AC and improve the tools for its treatment.This paper is dedicated to the most recent advances concerning the AC management. Promising, new insights come for the basic research, thanks to the updates on the role of the WNT-β-catenin pathway (important for the tumor genesis and progression, not yet developed enough for a safe target therapy in children but useful for determining the prognosis) and the inflammatory mediators (widely overexpressed, especially by the cyst of the tumor, and for which target therapies are being developed). Moreover, further factors and pathways are under investigation.Also the development of new treatment strategies accounts for the improvement of the prognosis and the quality of life of AC patients. The enhancement of the experience with the endoscopic techniques (both transsphenoidal and transventricular approaches) actually allows to perform a less invasive but effective surgery that can be coupled with new modalities of radiation therapy aiming at obtaining a reliable control of the disease and protecting the endocrinological, ophthalmological, and neurological functions. A special mention is finally deserved by the techniques specifically designed for the intracystic therapy (as cyst fenestration alone or in combination with administration of radionuclides or bleomycin or interferon-α) that are here analyzed together with the aforementioned advances.

Update on management of craniopharyngiomas

PURPOSE/INTRODUCTION

Craniopharyngiomas are locally-aggressive tumors arising along the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Treatment is nuanced as a result of their proximity and adherence to vital neurovascular structures and responsiveness to surgery, radiation and, in some cases, chemotherapy.

METHODS

We reviewed the literature discussing the current state of knowledge regarding craniopharyngioma biology and therapy.

RESULTS

Recent advances in endoscopic endonasal surgery (EEA) have made surgery a safer and more effective option. While cure may be achieved with gross total resection (GTR), when felt to be too risky, a subtotal resection followed by radiation is often a more prudent strategy, particularly in children with hypothalamic invasion. Data on long-term outcome are mostly derived from older studies in which a craniotomy, rather than EEA, was performed. Long-term EEA outcome studies are lacking. Enhanced knowledge of the biological basis of papillary CPs has led to novel medical treatments for BRAFv^600E variants that appear to be effective.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic technology has improved surgical results for craniopharyngiomas and expanded the indications for the transsphenoidal approach. The goal of CP surgery goal is maximal safe resection to achieve cure, but subtotal resection and radiation may be equally effective. Early diagnosis of specific variants will facilitate enrollment in promising medical trials.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for craniopharyngiomas

BACKGROUND

The management of craniopharyngiomas is challenging, usually requiring multidisciplinary care. We evaluated the long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for craniopharyngiomas.

METHODS

This retrospective study involved patients managed with GKRS for a craniopharyngioma during the period of 1989 to 2019. Patient clinical and radiologic data, tumor characteristics, and procedural details were analyzed.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight consecutive patients (24 males; mean patient age at GKRS = 30.82 years [SD ± 20.45 years]) were treated with GKRS for craniopharyngioma. Overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 84.1% and 80.1%, respectively. Progression-free survival at 5 years was 48.1%, and, at 10 years, it was 29.8%. Risk factors for post-GKRS clinical deterioration were increasing number of isocenters used (p = 0.04 (HR1.32, CI 1-1.73)), increasing margin dose [p = 0.02 (HR1.52, CI 1.31-1.84)], and maximum dose > 35 Gy [p = 0.002 (HR1.35, CI 1.11-1.63)].

CONCLUSION

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) appears a safe and effective management option in selected craniopharyngioma patients. Increasing margin dose and maximum dose > 35 Gy are associated with an increased risk for post-SRS neurologic deficit. Further, well-designed studies are necessary to determine the optimal timing and SRS parameters and to identify which patients with craniopharyngioma will benefit the most from SRS.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Pituitary Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Simple Summary

Pituitary tumors represent approximately 10–15% of all brain neoplasms. Gamma Knife, the most commonly used stereotactic radiosurgery technique worldwide, plays an important role in the treatment of several pituitary neoplasm. It is currently used in cases of residual or recurrent tumors after surgery or as primary treatment when surgery is contraindicated. Its goals are long-term tumor control, preservation of visual function, and, for secreting pituitary adenomas, endocrine remission. Several retrospective case-series (level of evidence IV) on Gamma Knife for pituitary tumors have been published describing encouraging outcomes; only one systematic review and meta-analysis on non-functioning pituitary adenoma has been recently reported. We provide a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis from the last two decades on Gamma Knife radiosurgery for several pituitary tumors with the aim of describing and confirming safety and effectiveness of this technique.

Abstract

To describe and evaluate outcomes of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GK) for the treatment of pituitary tumors over the past twenty years, a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA statement was performed. Articles counting more than 30 patients were included. A weighted random effects models was used to calculate pooled outcome estimates. From 459 abstract reviews, 52 retrospective studies were included. Among them, 18 reported on non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA), 13 on growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas, six on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting adenomas, four on prolactin hormone (PRL)-secreting adenomas, and 11 on craniopharyngiomas. Overall tumor control and five-year progression free survival (PFS) estimate after one GK procedure for NFPA was 93% (95% CI 89–97%) and 95% (95% CI 91–99%), respectively. In case of secreting pituitary adenomas, overall remission (cure without need for medication) estimates were 45% (95% CI 35–54%) for GH-secreting adenomas, 64% (95% CI 0.52–0.75%) for ACTH-secreting adenomas and 34% (95% CI: 19–48%) for PRL-secreting adenomas. The pooled analysis for overall tumor control and five-year PFS estimate after GK for craniopharyngioma was 74% (95% CI 67–81%) and 70% (95% CI: 64–76%), respectively. This meta-analysis confirms and quantifies safety and effectiveness of GK for pituitary tumors.