Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Intracranial Metastatic Melanoma-
A six-year Wayne State University experience
Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez MD, Laura Hernandez MD, Lucia Zamorano
MD, Andrew Sloan MD, Kenneth Levin MD*, Fontanesi James MD*,
Simon Lo MD*, Qinghang Li Ph.D and Fernando Diaz MD, Ph.D
Departments Neurological Surgery and Radiation Oncology*
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI
The Corresponding Author: Dr. Lucia Zamorano
4160 John R. Suite 930
Neurological Surgery Department
Wayne State University
Detroit MI 48201
Tel: (313) 966-0342 Fax: (313) 966-0368
Email:
[email protected]
Key words: Melanoma, brain metastases, Gamma knife Radiosurgery
ABSTRACT
Object: To retrospectively evaluate the effectiveness of Stereotactic
Radiosurgery (SR) for brain metastases from Melanoma and identify
prognostic factors that may be helpful in the selection of therapy for
these patients that influence survival and tumor control.
Material and Method: From January 1996 to December 2001, 24 patients
with brain metastases (115 lesions) from Melanoma underwent
Sterotactic Radiosurgery (SRS), at the Detroit Medical Center. Of
these 14 (58.3%) had a whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT), and 12
(50%) had a chemotherapy before SRS. The median tumor treated volume
was 4 cc (range 1-15 cc). The mean dose delivered to the tumor margin
was 16.4 Gy (range 13-20 Gy) prescribed to the 50% isodose line. All
patients were categorized according to Recursive Partitioning Analysis
(RPA) classification for brain metastases.[8] Univariate and
multivariate analysis of survival was performed to determine
significant prognosis factors affecting survival.
Results: The mean survival was 5.5 months after the radiosurgical
procedure. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed no
statistical difference in terms of survival between the groups that
received external radiation or chemotherapy. An statistical difference
(p
