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Minim Invasive Neurosurg 2005; 48(6): 334-339
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-915632
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Malignant Progression of Benign Brain Tumors after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: Is it Really Caused by Irradiation?

O.  Kubo1 , M.  Chernov1 , M.  Izawa1 , M.  Hayashi1 , Y.  Muragaki1 , T.  Maruyama1 , T.  Hori1 , K.  Takakura1
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
HistoryHas been presented as a poster during 12th International Meeting of the Leksell Gamma Knife Society, Vienna, Austria, May 16-20, 2004.
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
23 January 2006 (online)

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Abstract

Malignant transformation of benign neoplasm after radiosurgery is usually diagnosed based on the initial presence of benign tumor, its exposure to ionizing radiation, elapsed time from radiation exposure to malignant progression, and different histological characteristics or growth rate of the regrowing tumor comparing with those originally treated. Three presented cases fulfilled these diagnostic criteria; however, it seems that progression of the tumors (schwannoma, meningioma, chordoma) resulted from the natural course of the disease, rather than represented side effects of gamma knife radiosurgery. Evaluation of the proliferative potential of the benign neoplasm before radiosurgical treatment either directly, if tumor sampling is available, or indirectly, by calculation of the tumor growth rate and/or analysis of the data of the metabolic imaging (PET, MRS) is important for identification of “aggressive” subtypes, precise prediction of prognosis, and confirmation of the radiation-induced malignant transformation in cases of tumor regrowth.

Key words

Brain tumor - gamma knife radiosurgery - recurrence - malignant transformation

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Prof. Osami Kubo,M. D. 

Department of Neurosurgery · Neurological Institute · Tokyo Women's Medical University

8-1 Kawada-cho

Shinjuku-ku

Tokyo 162-8666

Japan ·

Phone: +81-3-3353-8111 (ext. 26216)

Fax: +81-3-5269-7438

Email: okubo@nij.twmu.ac.jp

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