Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy: first-in-human experience with a healthy tissue-preserving dose-fractionation concept

TL;DR

This paper reports on a new radiotherapy approach for drug-resistant epilepsy that reduces side effects and shows promising results in early human trials.

Contribution

A novel radiobiologically substantiated dose-fractionation regimen for radiosurgery in focal epilepsy is introduced and tested in humans.

Findings

Three patients showed improved seizure control and quality of life after treatment.

No symptomatic radiation necrosis was observed, and side effects were mild and transient.

One patient achieved complete seizure freedom, and all regained functional independence.

Abstract

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) emerges as a non-surgical treatment option for drug-resistant non-neoplastic focal epilepsy. Previous studies have reported that in about 20% of patients treated with radiotherapy, however, subsequent salvage surgery is required, among other because of symptomatic radiation necrosis (RN). We propose a novel and radiobiologically substantiated dose-fractionation regimen which minimizes the RN risk while aiming to preserve efficacy and report our first-in-human experience.

From February 2021 to April 2024, three patients (aged 42, 45, and 47 years) with different underlying etiologies were treated, including a post-hemorrhagic lesion, Rasmussen encephalitis, and focal cortical dysplasia. We applied linac-based frameless fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (fSRT) to a total dose of 50 Gy in 10 fractions over 2 weeks. Each epileptogenic zone was defined by a multidisciplinary team, including a radiation oncologist, epileptologist, neurosurgeon, and neuroradiologist.

The irradiated volumes were 10.3, 11.3, and 16.5 cm3. After a follow-up of 12, 29, and 36 months, all three patients experienced an improvement in both seizure frequency and severity (two already during or shortly after fSRT). One patient achieved complete seizure freedom. All patients reported improvements in quality of life and regained independence or displayed functional recovery. Tolerability was excellent, with radiation-induced side effects being mild (grade 1 only) and transient. RN was not observed. One patient died 29 months after radiotherapy most likely from a ruptured aneurysm of a vertebral artery, unrelated to the treatment.

Frameless fSRT of 50 Gy in 10 fractions was feasible and might be safe and effective in selected patients with drug-resistant non-neoplastic focal epilepsy and large suspected epileptogenic zones. A prospective single-arm evaluation with structured long-term follow-up including assessment of patient-reported outcome measures is currently being conducted.

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