Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Contrast-Enhancing Satellite Nodules in Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Rare Case Series From a Single Institution

Introduction Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant adult brain tumor and is invariably fatal. The standard treatment for GBM involves resection where possible, followed by chemoradiation per Stupp's protocol. We frequently use stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as a single-fraction treatment for small (volume ≤ 1cc) nodular recurrent GBM to the contrast-enhancing target on T1 MRI scan. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SRS for patients with contrast-enhancing satellite nodules in recurrent GBM. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the clinical and radiological outcomes of five patients who underwent CyberKnife (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, California) SRS at the institute between 2013 and 2022. Results From 96 patients receiving SRS for GBM, five (four males, one female; median age 53) had nine distinct new satellite lesions on MRI, separate from their primary tumor beds. Those nine lesions were treated with a median margin dose of 20 Gy in a single fraction. The three-, six, and 12-month local tumor control rates were 77.8%, 66.7%, and 26.7%, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was seven months, median overall survival following SRS was 10 months, and median overall survival (OS) was 35 months. Interestingly, the only lesion that did not show radiological progression was separate from the T2-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) signal of the main tumor. Conclusion Our SRS treatment outcomes for recurrent GBM satellite lesions are consistent with existing findings. However, in a unique case, a satellite nodule distinct from the primary tumor's T2-FLAIR signal and treated with an enlarged target volume showed promising control until the patient's demise. This observation suggests potential research avenues, given the limited strategies for 'multicentric' GBM lesions.