Purpose: For recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGG), no standard therapeutic approach has been reported; thus, surgery, chemotherapy, and re-irradiation (re-RT) may all be proposed. The aim of the study was to evaluate safety and efficacy of re-RT by radiosurgery or fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS/FSRT) in association to chemotherapy in patients with recurrent HGG.
Material/methods: All patients with histological diagnosis of HGG that suffered by recurrent disease diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), according to Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria, after primary/adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy treatment and underwent to re-RT by SRS/FSRT were included in the analysis. Second-line chemotherapy was administered. Outcomes were evaluated by neurological examination and brain MRI performed 1 month after re-RT and then every 2-3 months.
Results: From November 2019 to September 2021, 30 patients presenting recurrent HGG underwent re-RT. Median dose was 24 Gy (range 15-36 Gy), and median fractions was 5 (range 1-6). Twenty-one patients (70%) had RPA class ≤ IV. One patient had a histological diagnosis of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, 24 patients (80%) were affected by glioblastoma (GBM) including 3 cases of multifocal form, and 5 patients (17%) by anaplastic astrocytoma. Median time between primary/adjuvant RT and disease recurrence was 8 months. In six cases (20%) re-operation was performed, and in most cases (87%), a second line of systemic therapy was administrated. At a median follow-up time from recurrence of 13 months (range 6-56 months), 10 patients (33%) were alive: 2 patients with partial response disease, 7 patients with stable disease, and 1 patient with out-field progression disease. Of the 20 patients who died (67%), 15 (75%) died for progression disease and 5 (25%) for other causes (3 due to septic event, 1 due to thrombo-embolic event, and 1 due to car accident). Median OS and PFS after recurrence were 12.1 and 11.2 months. Six-month and one-year OS were, respectively, 81% and 51%. No acute or late neurological side effects grade ≥ 2 and no case of radio-necrosis were reported. One patient experienced, after reintervention and during Regorafenib treatment (administered 40 days after surgery), dehiscence of the surgical wound. In three cases, grade 2 distal paresthesia was reported. Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity occurred in seven cases. Three case of grade 5 toxicities during chemotherapy were reported: three septic events and one thrombo-embolic event.
Conclusion: Re-RT with SRT/FSRT in association with second-line systemic therapy is a safe and feasible treatment for patients with HGG recurrence. Validation of these results by prospective studies is needed.
Keywords: brain tumors; chemotherapy; glioma; recurrence; stereotactic radiotherapy.