Faculty Bibliography

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is well described in patients with brain metastases, presenting symptomatically in approximately 5% of patients. Conventionally, the presence of LMD is an indication for whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and not suitable for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the local control and overall survival of patients who underwent SRS to focal LMD. We reviewed our prospective registry and identified 32 brain metastases patients with LMD, from a total of 465 patients who underwent SRS between 2013 and 2015. Focal LMD was targeted with SRS in 16 patients. The median imaging follow-up time was 7 months. The median volume of LMD was 372 mm3 and the median margin dose was 16 Gy. Five patients underwent prior WBRT. Histology included non-small cell lung (8), breast (5), melanoma (1), gastrointestinal (1) and ovarian cancer (1). Follow-up MR imaging was available for 14 patients. LMD was stable in 5 and partially regressed in 8 patients at follow-up. One patient had progression of LMD with hemorrhage 5 months after SRS. Seven patients developed distant LMD at a median time of 7 months. The median actuarial overall survival from SRS for LMD was 10.0 months. The 6-month and 1-year actuarial overall survival was 60% and 26% respectively. Six patients underwent WBRT after SRS for focal LMD at a median time of 6 months. Overall, focal LMD may be may be treated successfully with radiosurgery, potentially delaying WBRT in some patients.

PURPOSE: To report a case of neovascular and angle closure glaucoma secondary to breast cancer metastatic to the iris that was successfully treated with injections of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) 1.25 mg/0.05 mL. METHODS: Case report. PATIENTS: A 47-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer presented to The New York Eye Cancer Center with left ocular pain, photosensitivity, vision loss, and multiple iris nodules. Her intraocular pressure was uncontrolled. Gonioscopy revealed neovascularization of the iris and angle; no choroidal neovascularization was noted. Ultrasound biomicroscopy demonstrated tumor invasion of iris stroma with marked anterior uveal thickening and narrowed angles. RESULTS: Three monthly injections of intravitreal bevacizumab resulted in nearly complete resolution of iris neovascularization, reduction of intraocular pressure, and control of tumor (although a small amount of residual tumor remained). CONCLUSION: Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for breast cancer metastatic to the iris with secondary neovascular glaucoma provided good local control for a limited follow-up period, because the patient died because of systemic complications of her disease.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) can be used as part of multimodality management for patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). The objective of this study is to evaluate outcomes of SRS for this disease. The International Gamma Knife Research Foundation identified 23 PCNSL patients who underwent SRS for either relapsed (intracerebral in-field or out-of-field tumor recurrences) or refractory disease from 1995-2014. All 23 patients presented with RPA Class I or II PCNSL, and were initially treated with a median of 7 cycles of methotrexate-based chemotherapy regimens (range, 3-26 cycles). Ten received prior whole brain radiation (WBRT) to a median dose of 43 Gy (range, 24-55 Gy). Sixteen presented with relapsed PCNSL, and seven presented with refractory disease. Twenty-three received 26 procedures of SRS. The median tumor volume was 4 cm3 (range, 0.1-26 cm3), and the median margin dose was 15 Gy (range, 8-20 Gy). Median follow-up from SRS was 11 months (interquartile range, 5.7-33.2 months). Twenty presented with treatment response to twenty-three tumors (12 complete, 11 partial). Fourteen patients relapsed or were refractory to salvage SRS, and local control was 95%, 91%, and 75% at 3, 6, and 12 months post SRS. Intracranial (in-field and out-of-field) and distant (systemic) PFS was 86%, 81%, and 55% at 3, 6, and 12 months post SRS. Toxicity of SRS was low, with one developing an adverse radiation effect requiring no additional intervention. Although methotrexate-based chemotherapy regimens with or without WBRT is the first-line management option for PCNSL, SRS may be used as an alternative option in properly selected patients with smaller relapsed or refractory PCNSL tumors.

BACKGROUND:The majority of chemoradiation (CRT) trials for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have relied on platinum-based chemotherapy regimens administered every-3-weeks. However, given the increased utilization of weekly platinum regimens, it remains unclear how different chemotherapy schedules compare regarding efficacy and toxicity. METHODS:We retrospectively identified 212 patients with HNSCC who were treated at a single academic medical center with concurrent platinum-based CRT given weekly (N = 68) or every-three-weeks (N = 144). JMP version 10 (SAS Institute) was used for statistical analysis. Discrete variables were compared with the chi-square test and differences in the medians were assessed using the Wilcoxon test. Survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan-Meier method and significance was assessed using the log rank test. For univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, we used Cox proportional hazard or logistic regression models to compare differences in survival or differences in categorical variables, respectively. RESULTS:Patients receiving weekly platinum regimens were more likely to be older (median age 61.4 vs. 55.5 y; P < .001), have high or very high Charlson comorbidity index (45.6% vs. 27.8%; P = .01), and receive carboplatin-based chemotherapy (6.3% vs. 76.5%; P < .001). Weekly and every-3-week platinum regimens had similar locoregional control (HR 1.10; 95% CI 0.63-1.88; P = .72), progression-free survival (HR 1.13; 95% CI 0.75-1.69; P = .55), and overall survival (HR 1.11; 95% CI 0.64-1.86; P = .71). Every-3-weeks platinum regimens were associated with increased days of hospitalization (median: 3 days vs. 0 days; P = .03) and acute kidney injury (AKI) during radiotherapy (50.0% vs. 22.1%; P < .001). On multivariate analysis, AKI was significantly associated with every-3-weeks regimens (OR: 24.38; 95% CI 3.00-198.03; P = .003) and high comorbidity scores (OR: 2.74; 95% CI 2.15-5.99; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS:Our results suggest that every-3-weeks and weekly platinum-containing CRT regimens have similar disease control but weekly platinum regimens are associated with less acute toxicity.