Skull base approaches and gamma knife radiosurgery for multimodality treatment of skull base tumors.

Object: The purpose of this study was to evaluate descriptive data obtained in patients who had received multimodality treatment with resection and gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for skull base tumors. Retrospective data were collected from 71 patients with skull base tumors who were treated from November 1996 to December 2000, all of whom underwent follow-up evaluation at 1 year or more.

Methods: Data were collected from hospital charts and office records, including patient age, tumor type and location, number of tumors, maximum radiation dose, estimated radiation dose to the periphery, tumor volume, and percentage of patients with tumors smaller or the same size at follow-up evaluation.

Conclusions: Of the 71 patients with 1 year or more of follow up, 93% had tumor either the same size or smaller and 34% of these patients had a smaller tumor size. It is concluded that: 1) GKS with multimodality treatment is effective for control of skull base tumors; 2) the radiosurgical team should consider the benefits of GKS for treatment of any skull base tumor to afford optimum patient management; and 3) neurosurgeons involved with the management of skull base tumors should either be trained and proficient in GKS or work closely with a colleague trained in the technique. This will ensure proper consideration of both options, resulting in overall improved patient treatment.