Radiation therapy for brain tumors.

Results of radiation therapy obtained at the University of California, San Francisco over the last 25 years for various adult types of brain tumors are presented. Included are astrocytomas, ependymomas, pineal and suprasellar tumors, meningiomas, and malignant gliomas. For each tumor type considered, the disease-free survival rate appeared to be improved when subtotal resection was followed by irradiation. The lack of improvement in survival with malignant gliomas has prompted investigation into more aggressive multimodality therapies. These are discussed along with a new program using high-activity iodine 125 sources to deliver high-dose radiotherapy to malignant gliomas. It is possible that this new approach will lead to improved survival rates and be applicable to many tumors within the central nervous system.