Stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of petroclival meningiomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment outcomes of primary and adjuvant radiosurgery

Purpose: To summarize the clinical features and outcomes of petroclival meningioma patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as either a primary or an adjuvant modality.

Methods: Relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. A systematic review and meta-analysis of treatment outcomes comparing primary and adjuvant SRS was conducted.

Results: Seven articles comprising 722 cases were included. The mean tumor marginal dose was 13.5 Gy. After SRS, symptoms improved in 28.7%, remained unchanged in 61.3%, and worsened in 10.0% of the cohort. Tumor control was achieved in 94.8% of patients. The mean tumor volume change was -6.4 cm³. The 5-year and 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 91-100% and 69.6-89.9%, respectively. Overall, 61.9% of patients underwent primary radiosurgery, and 38.1% had adjuvant radiosurgery. Patients who had primary SRS reported higher rates of tumor control (94.3% vs. 88.2%) and fewer SRS-related complications (3.7% vs. 10.3%) than those who received adjuvant SRS (not accounting for microsurgical complications). The functional status of patients who had primary SRS was more likely to improve or remain unchanged, with an effect size of 1.12 (95% CI 1.1-1.25; I² = 0). Neither group displayed superiority in worsening functional outcomes or tumor control rate.

Conclusion: SRS of petroclival meningiomas was associated with excellent long-term PFS and local tumor control rates. Primary SRS was highly effective for patients with smaller volume lesions without clinically symptomatic mass effect. In patients who warrant initial resection, adjuvant radiosurgery remains an important modality to prevent regrowth while maintaining postresection function.