Proton therapy for skull base tumors: A review of clinical outcomes for chordomas and chondrosarcomas

Background Skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas are rare tumors traditionally treated by surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy (RT). We will discuss data evaluating clinical outcomes of proton therapy in the treatment of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas. Methods A literature review was performed using a MEDLINE search from January 1990 to January 2017. Results The published data suggest that the dose intensification allowed by proton therapy has resulted in good clinical outcomes and a tolerable toxicity profile. Conclusion Proton therapy is a modern RT technique that has demonstrated improved preliminary clinical outcomes in the treatment of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas compared to conventional radiotherapy, and comparable to other advanced photon-based RT techniques.