Risk Stratification for Management of Solitary Fibrous Tumor/Hemangiopericytoma of the Central Nervous System

Simple Summary A solitary fibrous tumor (SFT)/hemangiopericytoma (HPC) of the central nervous system (CNS) represents a rare meningeal tumor with the propensity to recur almost invariably and to metastasize extracranially. Given the rarity of the disease, there are no prospective trials by which to guide its management, and indications for radiotherapy are unclear. The NRG Oncology and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) cooperative groups recently completed the first prospective trials to evaluate risk-adapted radiotherapeutic strategies for meningiomas, based on tumor grade and extent of resection. Using a similar approach, we created three risk categories using two large national US datasets. Our risk categories were highly prognostic of overall and cause-specific survival. Furthermore, our risk categories predicted the survival benefit associated with radiotherapy, which was limited to the high-risk group and, potentially, the intermediate-risk group. Our data suggest that a risk-adapted approach may be employed for the management of SFT/HPC of the CNS. These risk categories may be used in future retrospective and/or prospective studies. Introduction: Solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC) of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare meningeal tumor. Given the absence of prospective or randomized data, there are no standard indications for radiotherapy. Recently, the NRG Oncology and EORTC cooperative groups successfully accrued and completed the first prospective trials evaluating risk-adapted adjuvant radiotherapy strategies for meningiomas. Using a similar framework, we sought to develop prognostic risk categories that may predict the survival benefit associated with radiotherapy, using two large national datasets. Methods: We queried the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) databases for all newly diagnosed cases of SFT/HPC within the CNS. Risk categories were created, as follows: low risk-grade 1, with any extent of resection (EOR) and grade 2, with gross-total resection; intermediate risk-grade 2, with biopsy/subtotal resection; high risk-grade 3 with any EOR. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to determine the association of risk categories with overall and cause-specific survival. We then determined the association of radiotherapy with overall survival in the NCDB, stratified by risk group. Results: We identified 866 and 683 patients from the NCDB and SEER databases who were evaluated, respectively. In the NCDB, the 75% survival times for low- (n = 312), intermediate- (n = 239), and high-risk (n = 315) patients were not reached, 86 months (HR 1.60 (95% CI 1.01-2.55)), and 55 months (HR 2.56 (95% CI 1.68-3.89)), respectively. Our risk categories were validated for overall and cause-specific survival in the SEER dataset. Radiotherapy was associated with improved survival in the high- (HR 0.46 (0.29-0.74)) and intermediate-risk groups (HR 0.52 (0.27-0.99)) but not in the low-risk group (HR 1.26 (0.60-2.65)). The association of radiotherapy with overall survival remained significant in the multivariable analysis for the high-risk group (HR 0.55 (0.34-0.89)) but not for the intermediate-risk group (HR 0.74 (0.38-1.47)). Similar results were observed in a time-dependent landmark sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: Risk stratification based on grade and EOR is prognostic of overall and cause-specific survival for SFT/HPCs of the CNS and performs better than any individual clinical factor. These risk categories appear to predict the survival benefit from radiotherapy, which is limited to the high-risk group and, potentially, the intermediate-risk group. These data may serve as the basis for a prospective study evaluating the management of meningeal SFT/HPCs.

Automated summary

Solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC) of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare meningeal tumor. Due to the lack of prospective trials, there are no standard indications for radiotherapy. We developed risk categories based on tumor grade and extent of resection, which were strongly predictive of overall and cause-specific survival. Radiotherapy was found to improve survival in the high- and intermediate-risk groups, but not in the low-risk group.