Neuropsychological function in adults after high dose fractionated radiation therapy of skull base tumors.
Publication/Presentation Date
5-1-1997
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the long term effects of high dose fractionated radiation therapy on brain functioning prospectively in adults without primary brain tumors.
METHODS AND MATERIALS: Seventeen patients with histologically confirmed chordomas and low grade chondrosarcomas of the skull base were evaluated with neuropsychological measures of intelligence, language, memory, attention, motor function and mood following surgical resection/biopsy of the tumor prior to irradiation, and then at about 6 months, 2 years and 4 years following completion of treatment. None received chemotherapy.
RESULTS: In the patients without tumor recurrence or radiation necrosis, there were no indications of adverse effects on cognitive functioning in the post-acute through the late stages after brain irradiation. Even in patients who received doses of radiation up to 66 Cobalt Gy equivalent through nondiseased (temporal lobe) brain tissue, memory and cognitive functioning remained stable for up to 5 years after treatment. A mild decline in psychomotor speed was seen in more than half of the patients, and motor slowing was related to higher radiation doses in midline and temporal lobe brain structures.
CONCLUSION: Results suggest that in adults, tolerance for focused radiation is relatively high in cortical brain structures.
Volume
38
Issue
2
First Page
231
Last Page
239
ISSN
0360-3016
Published In/Presented At
Glosser, G., McManus, P., Munzenrider, J., Austin-Seymour, M., Fullerton, B., Adams, J., & Urie, M. M. (1997). Neuropsychological function in adults after high dose fractionated radiation therapy of skull base tumors. International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 38(2), 231–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0360-3016(97)00099-0
Disciplines
Psychiatry
PubMedID
9226308
Department(s)
Department of Psychiatry
Document Type
Article