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Radiotherapy, especially at young age, increases the risk for de novo brain tumors in patients treated for pituitary/sellar lesions

Burman, Pia LU ; Van Beek, Andre P. ; Biller, Beverly M K ; Camacho-Hübner, Cecilia and Mattsson, Anders F. (2017) In Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 102(3). p.1051-1058
Abstract

Context: De novo brain tumors developing after treatment of pituitary/sellar lesions have been reported, but it is unknown whether this is linked to any of the treatment modalities. Objective: To study the occurrence of malignant brain tumors and meningiomas in a large cohort of patients treated for pituitary/sellar lesions, with special emphasis on the role of radiotherapy (RT). Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 8917) who were hypopituitary due to pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, and other sellar tumors followed in KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) from 1994 to 2012 were included. Treatment consisted of surgery and/or medical therapy in 4927 patients, RT alone, or with surgery in 3236 patients; data were missing... (More)

Context: De novo brain tumors developing after treatment of pituitary/sellar lesions have been reported, but it is unknown whether this is linked to any of the treatment modalities. Objective: To study the occurrence of malignant brain tumors and meningiomas in a large cohort of patients treated for pituitary/sellar lesions, with special emphasis on the role of radiotherapy (RT). Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 8917) who were hypopituitary due to pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, and other sellar tumors followed in KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) from 1994 to 2012 were included. Treatment consisted of surgery and/or medical therapy in 4927 patients, RT alone, or with surgery in 3236 patients; data were missing in 754. Incidence rate ratios (RRs) were analyzed through Poisson regression methods with internal comparisons. Results: During 53,786 patient-years, 17 cases of malignant brain tumors (13 exposed to RT) and 27 meningiomas (22 exposed to RT) were reported. RR for RT vs no RT was 3.34 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06 to 10.6] for malignant brain tumors, and 4.06 (95% CI, 1.51 to 10.9) for meningiomas. The risk of developing a malignant brain tumor increased by 2.4-fold (P = 0.005) and meningioma by 1.6-fold with every 10 years of younger age at RT (P = 0.05). Incidence rates were similar in patients treated with conventional RT compared with stereotactic RT. Conclusion: RT of pituitary tumors is associated with increased risk of developing malignant brain tumors and meningiomas, especially when given at younger ages. In balancing risks and benefits of RT, our findings emphasize that special consideration should be given to the age of the patient.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
volume
102
issue
3
pages
8 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85015238641
  • pmid:28359095
  • wos:000398118100033
ISSN
0021-972X
DOI
10.1210/jc.2016-3402
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5f0bee29-4db9-4183-bb50-6f57feafc734
date added to LUP
2017-04-11 15:43:35
date last changed
2024-03-31 05:53:59
@article{5f0bee29-4db9-4183-bb50-6f57feafc734,
  abstract     = {{<p>Context: De novo brain tumors developing after treatment of pituitary/sellar lesions have been reported, but it is unknown whether this is linked to any of the treatment modalities. Objective: To study the occurrence of malignant brain tumors and meningiomas in a large cohort of patients treated for pituitary/sellar lesions, with special emphasis on the role of radiotherapy (RT). Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 8917) who were hypopituitary due to pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, and other sellar tumors followed in KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) from 1994 to 2012 were included. Treatment consisted of surgery and/or medical therapy in 4927 patients, RT alone, or with surgery in 3236 patients; data were missing in 754. Incidence rate ratios (RRs) were analyzed through Poisson regression methods with internal comparisons. Results: During 53,786 patient-years, 17 cases of malignant brain tumors (13 exposed to RT) and 27 meningiomas (22 exposed to RT) were reported. RR for RT vs no RT was 3.34 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06 to 10.6] for malignant brain tumors, and 4.06 (95% CI, 1.51 to 10.9) for meningiomas. The risk of developing a malignant brain tumor increased by 2.4-fold (P = 0.005) and meningioma by 1.6-fold with every 10 years of younger age at RT (P = 0.05). Incidence rates were similar in patients treated with conventional RT compared with stereotactic RT. Conclusion: RT of pituitary tumors is associated with increased risk of developing malignant brain tumors and meningiomas, especially when given at younger ages. In balancing risks and benefits of RT, our findings emphasize that special consideration should be given to the age of the patient.</p>}},
  author       = {{Burman, Pia and Van Beek, Andre P. and Biller, Beverly M K and Camacho-Hübner, Cecilia and Mattsson, Anders F.}},
  issn         = {{0021-972X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{1051--1058}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism}},
  title        = {{Radiotherapy, especially at young age, increases the risk for de novo brain tumors in patients treated for pituitary/sellar lesions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2016-3402}},
  doi          = {{10.1210/jc.2016-3402}},
  volume       = {{102}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}