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Whole brain radiotherapy
Treatment for cancer in the brain From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) is a treatment option for patients with brain metastases. In WBRT, radiation therapy is administered broadly, to the whole brain, over multiple treatments.[1]
Usage
WBRT has been shown to alleviate symptoms, decrease the use of corticosteroids needed to control tumor-associated edema, and potentially improve overall survival.[2] However, WBRT has been reported to increase the risk of cognitive decline.[3] However, single trials suggest that WBRT with memantine or hippocampal sparing may delay cognitive decline, though these methods did not improve survival or quality of life.[4]
WBRT may be administered in combination with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), surgery, or systemic therapies.[1] Based on data, WBRT combined with systemic therapies increased the likelihood of vomiting but overall, there were no other major differences regarding adverse events between these two treatment methods.[5] Memantine has been recommended for use by professional organization consensus to prevent neurocognitive decline after WBRT.[6] While these can improve survival for some patients with single brain metastasis, a 2021 systematic review of the literature found inconsistent results for overall survival.[1]
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References
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