Radiotherapy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Radiotherapy, including details on cancer treatment, side effects.

Gamma-knife radiosurgery for the treatment of ovarian cancer metastatic to the brain.

Brown JV, Goldstein BH, Duma CM, Rettenmaier MA, Micha JP

Gynecologic Oncology Associates, Hoag Cancer Center, 351 Hospital Road, Suite 507, Newport Beach, CA 92663, USA. jebbrown@cox.net

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system (CNS) metastases from an ovarian malignancy are uncommon. The long-term prognosis for these patients is poor, with studies reporting a mean survival of less than 12 months. CASES: We present three ovarian cancer patients who developed metastatic disease to the brain. All patients were heavily pre-treated prior to the development of CNS disease. Following detection of CNS disease, they all were treated with multi-modality therapy including gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKRS). At this time, one patient is alive at 26 months following treatment with GKRS. The second and third patients survived for 88 and 22 months respectively, before succumbing to their disease. CONCLUSION: Local control of ovarian cancer metastatic to the brain can be achieved in some patients with GKRS. Additional investigation into GKRS is warranted.

Published 9 June 2005 in Gynecol Oncol, 97(3): 858-61.
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