Disease progression or pseudoprogression after concomitant radiochemotherapy treatment: pitfalls in neurooncology.
Although radionecrosis has been exhaustively described in depth in the neurooncological literature, its diagnosis is still a challenging issue because its radiological pattern is frequently indistinguishable from that of tumor recurrence. This review discusses the causes of radionecrosis and the potential effect of adjuvant chemotherapy concomitant with radiotherapy on its rate and onset. The potential pitfalls in clinical studies attempting to make a differential diagnosis between radionecrosis and disease progression are also discussed.
Brandes
Alba A
AA
Department of Medical Oncology, Bellaria-Maggiore Hospital, AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy. alba.brandes@yahoo.it
Tosoni
Alicia
A
Spagnolli
Federica
F
Frezza
Giampiero
G
Leonardi
Marco
M
Calbucci
Fabio
F
Franceschi
Enrico
E
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*