Frameless Hypofractionated Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Residual or Recurrent Craniopharyngioma

BACKGROUND:The management of craniopharyngiomas is challenging, usually requiring multidisciplinary care. Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is an essential technique for residual/recurrent craniopharyngiomas.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of frameless hypofractionated GKRS (hfGKRS) for craniopharyngioma and factors which affect tumor control and complications.METHODS:This retrospective study involved 24 patients managed with hfGKRS. Clinical and radiological data, tumor characteristics, and procedural details were analyzed.RESULTS:There were 15 (62.5%) female patients. The median age was 38.5 years (range, 3-66 years). The mean tumor volume was 2.4 (1.93) cm(3), with a mean solid volume of 1.6 (1.75) cm(3). The median marginal dose was 20 Gy (range, 18-25 Gy) delivered in a median of 5 fractions (range, 3-5). During a median radiological follow-up of 23.5 months (range, 12-50 months), tumor progression was noted in 5 (20.8%) patients. The 2-year and 4-year progression-free survival were 81.8% and 61.4%, respectively. No deaths were identified at a median clinical follow-up of 31.3 months (range, 12-54 months). Visual deficits attributable to progression were noted in 3 (12.5%) patients with pre-GKRS visual field defects. An additional 4 (16.7%) patients with pre-GKRS visual deficit developed new minor visual field defects. Four (16.7%) patients showed improvement of vision after GKRS. There were no new-onset post-GKRS hormonal deficits.CONCLUSION:The management of craniopharyngioma requires a multidisciplinary approach, and irradiation represents effective treatment option for residual/recurrent tumors after surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that addresses the efficacy of frameless hfGKRS in managing craniopharyngiomas over sufficient follow-up.