Symptom Outcomes of Cancer Patients With Clival Metastases Treated With Radiotherapy: A Study of 44 Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To describe clinical features, radiotherapy (RT), and symptom outcomes in cancer patients with cranial nerve palsies associated with clival metastases.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients with primary metastatic cancers who developed clival metastases and received RT (2000-2020).

RESULTS: Of the 44 patients with primary cancers (manly breast, prostate and multiple myeloma cancers) and distal clival metastases, 32 patients (73%) also had cervical spine metastases. Of the 23 RT-treated patients, 65% and 35% received clivus only and whole brain RT, respectively. Post-RT symptom improvement was observed in patients with diplopia (5/6; 83%), headache (8/10; 80%), chin numbness (2/4; 50%), blurry vision (2/5; 40%), lateral gaze deficit (2/6; 33%), and tongue deviation (1/4; 25%).

CONCLUSION: Early detection and cranial nerve examination, in addition to RT treatment, should be considered in patients with breast, prostate, and multiple myeloma cancers, who developed cervical spine metastases.