Stereotoctic Irradiation of Solitary CerebralMetastases of Renal Carcinoma by Leksell Gamma Knife

Overview

In the course of five years (1992-1997) the authors irradiated stereotactically in their depart-ment a total of 42 patients with solitary cerebral metastases of renal carcinoma, incl. 26 menand 16 women aged 35 to 72 years (median 49 years). Complete or partial regression of theirradiated solitary cerebral metastasis occurred in the investigated group in 30 patients (71.4%),stabilization in 9 patients (21.4%) and progression in 3 patients (7.2%). Acute postirradiationtoxicity was found in 6 patients (14.3%), late toxicity in 4 patients (incl. only two where it waspermanent, i.e. 4.8%). The minimal follow up period in surviving patients was 11 months. Fromthe whole group of patients 29 died with a median survival of 10 months. For the still survivingpatients the median is 15 months. One-year survival was achieved in 19 patients (45.2%) of theinvestigated group. Prognostically important factors for the survival period are other metasta-ses than in the brain, the Karnofsky score and degree of neurological damage.

Key words:
renal carcinoma - cerebral metastasis - radiosurgery - survival period - local control.