1043-3155 Pediatr Neurol Briefs pedneurbriefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs Pediatric Neurology Briefs Pediatr Neurol Briefs 2166-6482 1043-3155 2166-3155 Pediatric Neurology Briefs Publishers Chicago, IL, USA PNB-4-12-b 10.15844/pedneurbriefs-4-2-6 Intracranial Tumors Neurology Pediatrics Nervous System Diseases Child Development Brain Diseases Neurosurgery Child Infant Radiotherapy in Brainstem Gliomas http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0173-7931 Millichap J. Gordon MD 1 2 * Division of Neurology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL Correspondence: Dr. J. Gordon Millichap, E-mail: jgmillichap@northwestern.edu 02 1990 01 08 2016 4 2 12 13 Copyright: © 1990 The Author(s) 1990 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Hyperfractionated radiotherapy for children with brainstem gliomas: a pilot study using 7,200 cGy

The results of a multiinstitional phase I/phase II trial, using 100 cGy of radiation therapy twice daily to a total dose of 7,200 cGy in 31 children with high risk brainstem gliomas are reported from the Neuro-Oncology Program, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; New York University Medical Center; University of Minnesota; Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago; and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ.

 Radiotherapy Brainstem Gliomas Glucocorticoid Therapy

The results of a multiinstitional phase I/phase II trial, using 100 cGy of radiation therapy twice daily to a total dose of 7,200 cGy in 31 children with high risk brainstem gliomas are reported from the Neuro-Oncology Program, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; New York University Medical Center; University of Minnesota; Children’s Memorial Hospital, Chicago; and the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ. Of the 35 patients evaluated, 24 (69%) had developed progressive disease and 11 (31%) remained in remission at the completion of the three year study period. Survival rate at 20 months was 32%. Patients relapsed at a median of eight months after diagnosis. Those in remission had been followed for a median of 18 months. No patient died as a result of treatment. Glucocorticoid therapy was tapered and discontinued during or soon after completion of treatment. In comparison to control patients and those treated in a previous trial using smaller doses of hyperfractionated radiotherapy, there was a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival rate. Further studies seemed warranted. [1]

COMMENT. Brainstem gliomas account for approximately 10% of all childhood central nervous system tumors and are the most resistant to therapy. High risk patients with tumors involving the brain stem diffusely rarely survive after conventional doses of radiotherapy. Hyperfractionated radiation therapy offers greater potential benefit.

 Packer RJ Allen JC Goldwein JL Newall J Zimmerman RA Priest J Hyperfractionated radiotherapy for children with brainstem gliomas: a pilot study using 7,200 cGy Ann Neurol 1990 Feb 27 2 167 173 10.1002/ana.410270212 2317012