Efficacy and safety of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with [ 177 Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE in 15 patients with progressive treatment-refractory meningioma

Purpose There is no evidence-based systemic therapy for patients with progressive meningiomas for whom surgery or external radiotherapy is no longer an option. In this study, the efficacy and safety of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) in patients with progressive, treatment-refractory meningiomas were evaluated. Methods Retrospective analysis of all meningioma patients treated with [ 177 Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE from 2000 to 2020 in our centre. Primary outcomes were response according to RANO bidimensional and volumetric criteria and progression-free survival (PFS). Overall survival (OS) and tumour growth rate (TGR) were secondary endpoints. TGR was calculated as the percentage change in surface or volume per month. Results Fifteen meningioma patients received [ 177 Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE (7.5–29.6 GBq). Prior to PRRT, all patients had received external radiotherapy, and 14 patients had undergone surgery. All WHO grades were included WHO 1 ( n =3), WHO 2 ( n =5), and WHO 3 ( n =6). After PRRT, stable disease was observed in six (40%) patients. The median PFS was 7.8 months with a 6-month PFS rate of 60%. The median OS was 13.6 months with a 12-month OS rate of 60%. All patients had progressive disease prior to PRRT, with an average TGR of 4.6% increase in surface and 14.8% increase in volume per month. After PRRT, TGR declined to 3.1% in surface ( p =0.016) and 5.0% in volume ( p =0.013) per month. Conclusion In this cohort of meningioma patients with exhaustion of surgical and radiotherapeutic options and progressive disease, it was shown that PRRT plays a role in controlling tumour growth.