Purpose: To assess the frequency, mode of presentation, treatment, and outcome of acute complications in patients with craniopharyngioma around the time of radiotherapy.
Methods and materials: A review was made of 188 patients with craniopharyngioma treated with conservative surgery and external beam radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital between 1950 and 1992.
Results: Twenty six (14%) (95% confidence interval: 9-19%) patients with craniopharyngioma developed acute deterioration immediately before, during and 2 months after radiotherapy with visual deterioration (19 patients), hydrocephalus (7 patients), and global deficit (7 patients). Cystic enlargement with or without hydrocephalus was the most common cause of deterioration. No patient or disease characteristics were predictive of deterioration on univariate or multivariate analysis. Eighteen patients had surgical intervention at the time of deterioration and survived the immediate period. Six of seven patients who did not have surgical intervention died. All patients who survived the postcomplication period completed the full course of external beam radiotherapy. The 10-year progression-free survival of 162 patients without deterioration was 86%, and of 18 patients with acute deterioration who recovered after surgery, 77%.
Conclusion: Patients with craniopharyngioma develop acute deterioration around the time of radiotherapy owing to cystic enlargement and/or hydrocephalus which does not represent tumor progression. Early recognition and appropriate surgical treatment followed by conventional full-dose radiotherapy are associated with good long-term outcome.