Open AccessSarcomas Subsequent to Cranial Irradiation
Author(s) -
Susan M. Chang,
Fred G. Barker,
David A. Larson,
Andrew W. Bollen,
Michael D. Prados
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
neurosurgery/neurosurgery online
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.485
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1081-1281
pISSN - 0148-396X
DOI - 10.1227/00006123-199504000-00007
Subject(s) - medicine , sarcoma , radiation therapy , lesion , differential diagnosis , radiology , undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma , soft tissue sarcoma , surgery , pathology
The development of sarcoma subsequent to cranial irradiation is a rare but serious and potentially fatal event. We describe seven patients who had undergone cranial irradiation (range, 1600-6000 cGy) to treat their primary disease and who developed sarcomas within the irradiated field. The median time from radiation therapy to the development of a sarcoma was 8 years (range, 4 to 15 yr). Fibrosarcomas developed in four patients, and malignant fibrous histiocytomas developed in three. Despite aggressive treatment, the prognosis was poor; the median survival from the diagnosis of sarcoma was 19 months. Sarcoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a new lesion or a lesion that progresses several years after radiation therapy.