Post-radiation gliomas

Aims and background: Radiotherapy is important in the treatment of neoplasm of the central nervous system, but various side efects, particularly neoplastic, have been described. Recently, post-radiation gliomas have been reported. Methods: The authors review 88 cases of cerebral glioma following radiotherapy in patients operated for neoplasms of the nervous system, including 6 personal cases of post-radiation gliomas treated in the Neurosurgical Division of the Department ot Neurological Sciences, 'La Sapienza' University, Rome. The criteria used to define this unusual pathologic association are discussed. Results: There was a male predominance. Post-radiation gliomas were particularly malignant, the average dose was 33 Gy, and average free latency was 9.6 years. The first disease was most frequently acute lymphatic leukemia. Conclusions: Post-radiation gliomas have particular features but do not present a histologic or clinical behavior different from analogous spontaneous gliomas. The fact that 88 cases have been reported in recent years suggests that a thorough biological, clinical study be carried out on this association.