Carbon ion radiotherapy for sacral chordoma

Abstract

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) results in multiple central nervous system tumours. In this case report, the patient has one vestibular schwannoma, one trigeminal schwannoma and two meningiomas developed before the age of 30. Aiming to treat three targets at one fraction with minimal interaction and overlapping doses to normal tissue, the sophisticated equipment of tomotherapy was utilised for frameless stereotaxy; tomotherapy delivered intensity-modulated, rotational radiation therapy using a fan-beam delivery. Daily CT scans with the inbuilt CT scanner were also performed as part of the image-guided radiotherapy. The course of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy consisted of eight fractions given three times per week with an overall treatment time of 17 days. For the meningioma over left parietal vertex, 4.5 Gy per fraction was given at 36 Gy/8 Fr/17 days. For the meningioma over anterior cerebral falx, 4 Gy per fraction was given at 32 Gy/8 Fr/17 days. For the two schwannomas as one target, 5 Gy per fraction was given at 40 Gy/8 Fr/17 days. The acute effect of the treatment was alopecia and mild headache. Subsequent follow-up confirmed clinical improvement. This is the first reported case of clinical experience with tomotherapy in the management of NF2.