title: Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). Still a no-brainer?
abstract: Although prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) has been the standard of practice for patients successfully treated for limited stage small cell lung cancer for decades, subsequent changes in patient selection, updated brain imaging guidelines, an increased understanding of the mechanisms underlying the deleterious effects of whole brain irradiation as well as ongoing investigations into improving radiation treatment delivery have begun to question the current role of PCI. Who should be treated and how? This review attempts to gather together evidence for improving patient selection and describe potential improvements in treatment delivery.
authors.affiliation: Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto. Electronic address: Phil.Davey@sunnybrook.ca.
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ennis
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aviv
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000556:secondary; D016371:Cranial Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000556:secondary
keywords: PCI small cell lung cancer