Carbon Ion Radiotherapy Effective for Skull Base Tumors

NEW YORK, May 6, 2009 — Carbon ion is effective for skull base tumors in children and young adults, according to a report by a German group.

Carbon ion radiotherapy offers favorable physical dose characteristics in pediatric tumors, the authors explained, but it has been used reluctantly in children because of the higher linear energy transfer and the fear of increased rates of treatment-induced side effects.

Dr Stephanie E. Combs, from the University Hospital of Heidelberg, et al investigated the use of carbon ion radiotherapy in 17 children and young adults with chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base.

Only 1 of the patients showed signs of tumor progression during follow-up, the authors reported, and this patient was re-irradiated with carbon ion radiotherapy 61 months after primary radiotherapy.

None of the 8 patients presenting with neurological symptoms experienced worsening after carbon ion radiotherapy, and facial nerve paresis resolved after carbon ion radiotherapy in 1 patient.

The crude local control rate was 94%, the researchers noted, and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging scans showed partial remission of tumor in 4 patients, according to a report in the March 15 issue of Cancer.

Acute side effects were minor, the investigators said, with no severe long-term, treatment-induced side effects, including secondary malignancies. Functional outcomes were excellent overall.

"Despite its promising outcome with respect to tumor control and toxicity," the authors cautioned, "further evaluation in a larger patient collective is required to corroborate these results.

"For the time being, carbon ion radiotherapy should be applied reluctantly in children, except in closely monitored clinical trials for otherwise hard-to-treat, radioresistant tumors," they added.

Source: Reuters Health Information