Surgical Outcomes of Novel Collagen Tile Cesium Brachytherapy for Recurrent Intracranial Tumors at a Tertiary Referral Center

Treatment for recurrent intracranial neoplasms is often difficult and less standardized. Since its approval by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), GammaTile(TM) (GT, GT Medical Technologies, Tempe, AZ), a novel collagen tile cesium brachytherapy, has been investigated for use in this population. This study presents the initial experience with the use of GT for patients with recurrent intracranial neoplasms at a tertiary referral center. A retrospective analysis of all patients with GT implantation from November 2019 to July 2021 was performed. Information regarding demographics, clinical history, imaging data, prior tumor treatment, dosing, surgical complications, and outcomes was collected. Twelve patients were included in this study. Pathologies included gliomas (five patients), meningiomas (five patients), and metastatic tumors (two patients). The median tumor volume treated was 24 cc (IQR: 21.2 - 31.3 cc), and patients had a median of 7.5 tiles implanted (IQR: 5.4 - 10.3). One patient had a delayed epidural hematoma requiring reoperation, which was unrelated to GT implantation. Median follow-up was seven months (IQR: 3 -10), with the longest follow-up time of 20 months. Two patients have had local disease recurrence and three patients have had systemic progression of their disease. Three patients are deceased with survivals of 2.9, 4.8, and 5.8 months. Collagen tile brachytherapy is a safe and viable option for patients with recurrent intracranial tumors. Our data are consistent with early results seen at other institutions. Long-term data with larger patient populations are required to assess efficacy, safety, and indications for the use of this novel technology.