A Retrospective Study of Surgery and Reirradiation for Recurrent Ependymoma

Thomas E. Merchant, Frederick A. Boop, Larry E. Kun, Robert A. Sanford

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

148 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: To report disease control for patients with recurrent ependymoma (EP) treated with surgery and a second course of radiation therapy (RT2). Patients and Methods: Thirty-eight pediatric patients (median age, 2.7 years) with initially localized EP at the time of definitive RT underwent a second course of RT after local (n = 21), metastatic (n = 13), or combined (n = 4) failure. Reirradiation included radiosurgery (n = 6), focal fractionated reirradiation (n = 13), or craniospinal irradiation (CSI; n = 19). Results: Initial time to failure was 16 months, and median age at second treatment was 4.8 years. Radiosurgery resulted in significant brainstem toxicity and one death (median dose, 18 Gy). Progression-free survival ratio was greater than unity for 4 of 6 patients; there was one long-term survivor. Three of 13 patients treated using focal fractionated reirradiation (median combined dose, 111.6 Gy) experienced metastasis. The CSI was administered to 12 patients with metastatic failure, 3 patients with local failure, and 4 patients with combined failure. The 4-year event-free survival rate was 53% ± 20% for 12 patients with metastatic failure treated with CSI. Failure after CSI was observed in 1 of 3 patients with a history of local failure and 3 of 4 patients with a history of combined failure. Conclusion: Patients with locally recurrent EP experience durable local tumor control, but remain at risk of metastasis. Patients with metastatic EP failure may receive salvage therapy that includes a component of CSI. Durability of disease control and long-term effects from this approach require further follow-up.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)87-97
Number of pages11
JournalInternational Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
Volume71
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2008

Keywords

  • CNS neoplasms
  • Ependymoma
  • Pediatrics
  • Radiotherapy
  • Re-treatment
  • Toxicity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cancer Research

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