Radiation therapy vital to treating brain tumors, but it exacts a toll

(University of California - San Diego) Radiation therapy (RT) using high-energy particles is a common and critical component in successfully treating patients with brain tumors but it is also associated with significant adverse effects. In a new study, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that irradiation can cause broader adverse effects, altering the structural network properties in impacted brains and perhaps contributing to delayed cognitive impairments observed in many patients following brain RT.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news