Radiotherapy and its impact on the nervous system of cancer survivors.
Published Jul 8, 2020 · Gautam Kumar, Priyadarshini Dutta, V. Parihar
CNS & neurological disorders drug targets
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiotherapy, used routinely for the treatment of nearly all brain tumors, but may lead to progressive and debilitating impairments of cognitive function. The growing evidence support radiation exposure to CNS disrupts diverse cognitive functions including learning, memory, processing speed, attention and executive functions. OBJECTIVE The present review highlights the types of radiotherapy and the possible mechanisms of cognitive deficits and neurotoxicity following radiotherapy. METHOD The review summarizes the articles from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of science search engines. DESCRIPTION Radiation therapy uses high-powered x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells, with minimal damage to healthy cells. While radiotherapy has yielded relative success in the treatment of cancer, patients are often plagued with unwanted and even debilitating side effects from the treatment, which can lead to dose reduction or even cessation of treatment. Little is known about the underlying mechanisms responsible for the development of these behavioral toxicities; however, neuroinflammation is widely considered as one of the major mechanisms responsible for radiotherapyinduced toxicities. CONCLUSION The present study reviews the different types of radiotherapy available for the treatment of various types of cancers and their associated neurological complications. It also summarizes the doses of radiations used in the variety of radiotherapy, and their early and delayed side effects. Special emphasis is given on the effects of various types of radiation on late side effects on cognitive impairments.