Radiation therapy is used as a form of treatment for various neoplastic diseases. There are many potential adverse effects of this therapy, including radiation-induced neurotoxicity. Radiation-induced brachial plexopathy (RIBP) may occur due to the fibrosis of neural and perineural soft tissues, leading to ischemic damage of the axons and Schwann cells. The dose of radiation exceeds 55 Gy in many patients who develop symptoms [1]. Current incidence in the United States is 1-2%, and RIBP is most commonly seen in patients who have undergone treatment for breast cancer, lung cancer, or lymphoma [1-3]. Common symptoms include numbness, paresthesia, dysesthesia, and occasional numbness of the arm. Pain is present in the shoulder and proximal arm and is typically mild to moderate in severity. Diagnosis is often made based on clinical presentation and evaluation of imaging to rule out concurrent malignant etiologies of the brachial plexus. Current recommended treatment includes physical therapy and medical management with anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa382 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
November 2024
Department of Radiation Oncology, Nuvance Health, Norwalk, USA.
Cancer Biol Ther
December 2024
Aging + Cardiovascular Discovery Center, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Int J Surg Case Rep
November 2024
Department of Rehabilitation, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan.
J Hand Surg Am
November 2024
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Microsurgery; Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Electronic address:
Adv Radiat Oncol
November 2024
Radiation Oncology Unit, Clinical Department, CNAO National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, Pavia, Italy.
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