gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Meningiomas spreading in the posterior cranial fossa are benign tumors which are tumors amenable to complete microsurgical resection. In other cases radiosurgery is frequently considered in particular upon recurrence or remnant. We report on the efficacy of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for the treatment of meningiomas of the middle cranial fossa.

Methods: From 15 participating centers under the auspices of the European Gamma Knife Society we performed a retrospective observational analysis of a cohort of 363 benign meningiomas treated with GKRS. All were treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery at least 5 years before assessment for this study. Clinical and imaging data were retrieved from each center and uniformly entered into a database by 1 author (A.S.).

Results: 188 patients harbouring 241 meningiomas treated in fifteen institutions recruited were evaluated. The median age was 56 years. The median tumour volume was 4,1 ccm. The median tumour margin dose to the 50 % isodose line was 14 Gy. The median cumulative imaging follow-up was 58 months. The detailed results from 217 meningiomas (90%) were available for analysis. The actuarial control rate was 97% at 5 years post GKRS. The permanent morbidity rate was 5,5%. A main limitation is the small cohort and the retrospective nature of data retrieval.

Conclusion: GKRS seems to be a safe method of treatment of meningiomas of the posterior cranial fossa. The data analyzed shows a high imaging tumor control and low morbidity rate even in the medium to long-term.