INTRODUCTION: Post-stereotactic radiation-induced neoplasms, although relatively rare, have raised the question of benefit regarding CyberKnife® treatments versus the risk of a secondary malignancy.
The incidence of such neoplasms arising in the nervous system is thought to be low, given the paucity of case reports regarding such secondary lesions.
CASE PRESENTATION: Here we describe a case of a 43-year-old Middle Eastern woman with primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma and a metastatic focus to the left brain parenchyma who presented with focal neurologic deficits. Following post-surgical stereotactic radiation in the region of the brain metastasis, the patient developed a secondary high-grade astrocytoma nearly 5 years after the initial treatment.
CONCLUSION: Although the benefit of CyberKnife® radiotherapy treatments continues to outweigh the relatively low risk of a radiation-induced secondary malignancy, knowledge of such risks and a review of the literature are warranted.
Written by:
Abedalthagafi M, Bakhshwin A. Are you the author?
Pathology Department, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.
Reference: J Med Case Rep. 2012 Sep 3;6(1):271.
doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-6-271
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22943305
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