Recurrence Rate and Prognostic Factors for the Adult Craniopharyngiomas in Long-Term Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: Craniopharyngiomas show a high recurrence rate despite their pathologically benign nature. Thus, we analyzed the clinical features to elucidate the prognostic factors for the recurrence of craniopharyngiomas in adults with long-term follow-up.

METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed and analyzed the preoperative features, surgical results, and tumor recurrence of patients who underwent an operation at a single institution from 2004 to 2013.

RESULTS: This study analyzed the results of 64 consecutive adult patients, and the median follow-up period was 83.5 months (range 9-163 months). Ten patients had a history of surgery, whereas 4 had a history of adjuvant radiation. Retrochiasmatic tumors (n = 51, 79.7%) were more common than prechiasmatic tumors. Operations were performed via the transcranial approach in 31 (48.4%) patients and transsphenoidal approach in 33. Gross total removal was achieved in 44 (68.8%) patients, and the transsphenoidal approach showed a greater gross total removal rate than the transcranial approach did (97.0% vs. 38.7%, P < 0.001). Adjuvant radiotherapy was performed in 8 patients, and radiosurgery was performed in 2. Recurrence was identified in 25 (39.1%) patients in 45.0 months of the median time to recurrence. The overall actuarial 5- and 7-year progression-free survival rates were 71.8% and 63.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that supra- and subdiaphragmatic tumor locations and subtotal removal were risk factors for long-term tumor recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS: The long-term recurrence rate of craniopharyngiomas was high; therefore, long-term regular follow-up is mandatory. Adjuvant irradiation for remnant tumors showed a long-term tumor control rate comparable to that of completely removed tumors.