title: Sarcomas subsequent to cranial irradiation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bollen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Prados
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012535:Scalp / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate