Morbidity and Mortality Associated With Meningioma After Cranial Radiotherapy: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study

J Clin Oncol. 2017 May 10;35(14):1570-1576. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2016.70.1896. Epub 2017 Mar 24.

Abstract

Purpose Little is known about neurologic morbidity attributable to cranial radiotherapy (CRT) -associated meningiomas. Materials and Methods From 4,221 survivors exposed to CRT in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, a diagnosis of meningioma and onset of neurologic sequelae were ascertained. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CIs to evaluate the factors associated with neurologic sequelae after subsequent meningioma. Results One hundred ninety-nine meningiomas were identified among 169 participants. The median interval from primary cancer to meningioma diagnosis was 22 years (5 to 37 years). The cumulative incidence of a subsequent meningioma by age 40 years was 5.6% (95% CI, 4.7% to 6.7%). CRT doses of 20 to 29.9 Gy (HR, 1.6; 95% CI,1.0 to 2.6) and doses ≥ 30 Gy (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.6 to 4.2) were associated with an increased risk of meningioma compared with CRT doses of 1.5 to 19.9 Gy ( P < .001). Within 6 months before or subsequent to a meningioma diagnosis, 20% (30 of 149) reported at least one new neurologic sequela, including seizures (8.3%), auditory-vestibular-visual deficits (6%), focal neurologic dysfunction (7.1%), and severe headaches (5.3%). Survivors reporting a meningioma had increased risks of neurologic sequelae > 5 years after primary cancer diagnosis, including seizures (HR, 10.0; 95% CI, 7.0 to 15.3); auditory-vestibular-visual sensory deficits (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.0); focal neurologic dysfunction (HR, 4.9; 95% CI, 3.2 to 7.5); and severe headaches (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.9 to 5.4). With a median follow-up of 72 months after meningioma diagnosis (range, 3.8 to 395 months), 22 participants (13%) were deceased, including six deaths attributed to a meningioma. Conclusion Childhood cancer survivors exposed to CRT and subsequently diagnosed with a meningioma experience significant neurologic morbidity.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Cranial Irradiation / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Headache / etiology
  • Hearing Disorders / etiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Meningeal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Meningioma / complications*
  • Meningioma / epidemiology*
  • Meningioma / mortality
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / complications*
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / mortality
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / complications*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / epidemiology*
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / mortality
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Radiotherapy Dosage
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Seizures / etiology
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Vestibular Diseases / etiology
  • Vision Disorders / etiology
  • Young Adult