Radiation Therapy of Brain-Stem Tumors

TUMORS OF the brain stem reportedly (1, 5) are seen most frequently in young children. In untreated cases, the disease usually progresses rapidly from the first symptom to death, although in some instances the natural history may be more indolent. These tumors are quite rare, always unresectable, and usually not amenable to biopsy. Such factors tend to limit the radiotherapist's experience and to make the results of his treatment difficult to evaluate. With the above facts in mind, it was thought worthwhile to review the Mayo Clinic experience with radiation treatment for this condition. Materials And Methods Evaluation was made in a retrospective fashion of patients whose diagnosis was established on a clinical basis only, on the basis of a diagnostic radiographic procedure (fractional pneumoencephalogram, angiogram, or Pantopaque rhombencephalogram), or on the basis of surgical observation of the tumor with or without biopsy confirmation. Radiation therapy was given for 677 of 1,772 patients having clin...