Stereotactic proton beam irradiation of the pituitary gland adenomas - expierience of the federal center for radiology and surgical technologies

The article presents the results of the stereotactic radiosurgery of pituitary adenomas by narrow proton beam. Since 1975 464 patients with different endocrine syndromes had been irradiating on the synchrocyclotron PINP (1000 MeV, Gatchina). Because of the high energy of the proton beam the rotating-convergent shoot-through technique had been using. The single dose of 80-100 Gy had been giving. In the patients with prolactinomas clinical remission was detected in 80%, and the stabilization of the disease in 15%. In 21 patients fertility was restored and healthy children were born. In 92% of the patients who suffered from the Cushing disease complete clinical remission was detected which expressed by the diabetes meHitus disappearing, normalization of the blood pressure and obesity regressing. Complete remission and normalization of the GH levels in the long-term observation also was detected in 86% patients with somatotropinomas.There was significant reducing of the high hormone levels on the fifth year of the follow-up in any clinical form of pituitary adenomas while the development of the secondary hypopituitarism wasn't detected in the most of the patients. Clinical remission in the patients with non­secreting adenomas was 95%. Irradiation by the proton beam wasn't accompanied with serious life-threating complications. So, this modality of the endosellar adenomas treatment is highly effective and safe and, sometimes, the only method.