Long-term experience with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in pharmacoresistant epilepsy: Neurological and MRI changes

摘要

Purpose: Radiotherapy is an option in patients with difficult-to-treat epilepsy in which pharmacological and surgical alternatives have been exhausted. However, little is known about the long-term efficacy and side effects of radiotherapy in this context. Hence, we report for the first time on the long-term outcome (median 10 years) of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) in 11 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy in a retrospective study. Primary endpoint is tolerability concerning neurological and MRI findings, secondary endpoint seizure frequency. Patients and methods: FSRT was performed in 11 patients with cryptogenic or symptomatic epilepsy from 1996 to 2009 using a conventional linear accelerator (LINAC) in seven cases and a dedicated NOVALIS? LINAC in four. The biologically equivalent dose ranged from 26.3 to 58.3Gy (α/β=10). Results: (1) None of the patients developed temporary or permanent neurological deficits. No MRI changes occurred. (2)Treatment resulted in improvement of seizure frequency in seven patients, five of them had a decrease in seizure frequency, and two of them were seizure-free at last follow-up. Conclusions: If radiation is administered with proper fractionation, dose prescription and target volume definition, long-term neurological side effects are unlikely. (2) Radiotherapy has the potential to control the frequency and intensity of seizures in epilepsy patients.