Multisession Gamma Knife surgery for benign orbital tumors

Abstract

Object The goal of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of multisession Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of benign orbital tumors. Methods Twenty-three patients who retained their vision despite having tumors touching their optic nerve were treated with multisession (4-fraction) GKS. The median tumor volume was 2800 mm3 (range 211–10,800 mm3), and the median cumulative margin dose was 20 Gy (range 18–22 Gy). Results The median clinical follow-up duration in these patients was 38 months (range 9–74 months). No patient experienced tumor progression in this study. In particular, a higher degree of tumor shrinkage was found in the 7 patients with cavernous hemangiomas than in patients with other types of lesions (p < 0.05). Of the 23 patients whose preoperative vision was preserved, 11 showed improvement in visual acuity and/or visual field and 12 showed stable visual acuity. No GKS-related adverse events were noted during or after treatment. Conclusions Multisession radiosurgery using the Gamma Knife may be a good strategy for tumors in direct contact with the optic nerve. A cumulative margin dose of up to 22 Gy delivered in 4 sessions is safe for preservation of visual function with a high probability of tumor control.