Ototoxicity after intensity-modulated radiation therapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy in children with medulloblastoma

Abstract

Purpose: To report the incidence of Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) Grade 3 or 4 ototoxicity in a cohort of patients treated with craniospinal irradiation (CSI) followed by posterior fossa (PF) and/or tumor bed (TB) boost using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).

Methods and materials: From 1998 to 2006, 44 patients with medulloblastoma were treated with CSI followed by IMRT to the PF and/or TB and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Patients with standard-risk disease were treated with 18 to 23.4 Gy CSI followed by either a (1) PF boost to 36 Gy and TB boost to 54 to 55.8 Gy or (2) TB boost to 55.8 Gy. Patients with high-risk disease received 36 to 39.6 Gy CSI followed by a (1) PF boost to 54 to 55.8 Gy, (2) PF boost to 45 Gy and TB boost to 55.8 Gy, or (3) TB boost to 55.8 Gy. Median audiogram follow-up was 41 months (range, 11-92.4 months).

Results: POG Grade Ototoxicity 0, 1, 2, 3. and 4 was found in 29, 32, 11, 13. and 3 ears. respectively, with POG Grade 3 or 4 accounting for 18.2% of cases. There was a statistically significant difference in mean radiation dose (D(mean)) cochlea according to degree of ototoxicity, with D(mean) cochlea increasing with severity of hearing loss (p = 0.027).

Conclusions: Severe ototoxicity was seen in 18.2% of ears in children treated with IMRT boost and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Increasing dose to the cochlea was associated with increasing severity of hearing loss.