Memory loss following radiotherapy for nasal pharyngeal carcinoma--an unusual presentation of amnesia.
In this article we describe a patient who developed amnesia several years after receiving a second course of radiotherapy treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Detailed assessment of memory indicated a marked anterograde impairment for verbal material with less impaired non-verbal memory. A dense retrograde deficit was also present, reflected in both poor event memory and loss of general knowledge. Performance on other tests indicated a mild intellectual deficit but no other cognitive impairments. The findings indicate a striking memory disorder arising from late temporal lobe necrosis. These findings stress the importance of assessing neuropsychological sequelae when evaluating the long-term outcome of radiotherapy for NPC and other cancers of the head and neck.
Parkin
A J
AJ
Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
Hunkin
N M
NM
D000328:Adult; D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000528:radiation effects