Skip to main content
Log in

Gliomas following low-dose irradiation to the head report of three cases

  • Clinical Study
  • Published:
Journal of Neuro-Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three patients developed cerebral gliomas decades after exposure to low-dose x-ray irradiation in childhood for the treatment of tinea capitis. One of the patients had a glioblastoma multiforme concomitant with multiple intracranial meningiomas, a condition highly correlated with previous irradiation. The other tumors were malignant cerebellar astrocytoma and a diffuse cerebral astrocytoma. We review the evidence suggesting that low-dose irradiation is involved in the pathogenesis of gliomas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adamson HG: A simplified method of x-ray application for the cure of ringworm of the scalp: Kienbock's method. Lancet 1: 1378–1380, 1909

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cipollaro AC, Kallos A, Ruppe Jr JP: Measurement of gonadal radiations during treatment for tinea capitis. NY State J Med 59: 3033–3040, 1959

    Google Scholar 

  3. Modan B, Baidatz D, Mart H, Steinitz R, Levin SG: Radiation-induced head and neck tumours. Lancet 1: 277–279, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  4. Schulz RJ, Albert RE: Follow-up study of patients treated by x-ray epilation for tinea capitis. III. Dose to organs of the head from the x-ray treatment of tinea capitis. Arch Environ Health 17: 935–950, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  5. Werner E, Modan B, Davidoff D: Doses to the brain, skull and thyroid following x-ray treatment of tinea capitis. Phys Med Biol 13: 247–258, 1968

    Google Scholar 

  6. Munk J, Peyser E, Gruszkiewicz J: Radiation induced intracranial meningiomas. Clin Radiol 120: 90–94, 1969

    Google Scholar 

  7. Beller AJ, Feinsod M, Sahar A: The possible relationship between small dose irradiation to the scalp and intracranial meningiomas. Neurochir (Stutt.) 15: 135–143, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  8. Soffer D, Pittaluga S, Feiner M, Beller AJ: Intracranial meningiomas following low-dose irradiation to the head. J Neurosurg 59: 1048–1053, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rubinstein AB, Shalit MN, Cohen ML, Zandbank U: Radiation-induced cerebral meningioma: a recognizable entity. J Neurosurg 61: 966–971, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  10. Shore RE, Albert RE, Pasternack BS: Follow-up study of patients treated by x-ray epilation for tinea capitis. Arch Environ Health 31: 17–24, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ron E, Modan B, Boice Jr JD, Alfandary E, Stovall M, Chetrit A, Katz L: Tumors of the brain and nervous system after radiotherapy in childhood. N Eng J Med 319: 1033–1039, 1988

    Google Scholar 

  12. Saenger EL, Silverman IN, Sterling TD, Turner ME: Neoplasia following therapeutic irradiation for benign conditions in childhood. Radiology 74: 889–904, 1960

    Google Scholar 

  13. Mole RH: Late effects of radiation: carcinogenesis. Br Med Bull 29: 78–83, 1973

    Google Scholar 

  14. Clifton MD, Amromin GD, Perry MC, Abadir R, Watts C, Levy N: Spinal cord glioma following irradiation for Hodgkin's disease. Cancer 45: 2051–2055, 1980

    Google Scholar 

  15. Soffer D, Gomori JM, Siegal T, Shalit MN: Intracranial meningiomas following high-dose irradiation. Report of 3 cases and review of the literature. Cancer (In press)

  16. Iacono RP, Apuzzo MLJ, Davis RL, Tsai FY: Multiple meningiomas following radiation therapy for medulloblastoma. Case report. J Neurosurg 55: 282–286, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  17. Liwnicz BH, Berger TS, Liwnicz BS, Aron BS: Radiation-associated glioblastomas: a report of four cases and analysis of postradiation tumors of the central nervous system. Neurosurgery 17: 436–445, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  18. Marus G, Levin V, Rutherfoord GS: Malignant glioma following radiotherapy for unrelated primary tumors. Cancer 58: 886–894, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  19. Russell DS, Rubinstein LJ: Astrocytomas of the cerebellum. In: Pathology of Tumours of the Nervous System. 4th edition, E. Arnold, London pp. 183–190, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kopelson G: Cerebellar glioblastoma. Cancer 50: 308–311, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  21. Zulch KJ: Astrocytic tumors. In: Brain Tumors. Their Biology and Pathology. 3rd Edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 210–240, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  22. Rimm IJ, Li FC, Tarbell NJ et al.: Brain tumors after cranial irradiation for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer 59: 1506–1508, 1987

    Google Scholar 

  23. Zochodne DW, Cairncross JG, Arce FP, MacDonald JCF, Blume WT, Girvin JP, Kaufmann JCE: Astrocytoma following scalp radiotherapy in infancy. Can J Neurol Sci 11: 475, 1984

    Google Scholar 

  24. Albo V, Miller D, Leiken S, Sather H, Hammond D: Nine brain tumors as a late effect in children ‘cured’ of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Abstr). Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 4: 172, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kent SP, Pickering JE: Neoplasms in monkeys (Macaca mullata): spontaneous and irradiation induced. Cancer 11: 138–147, 1985

    Google Scholar 

  26. Haymaker W, Rubinstein LJ, Miguel J: Brain tumors in irradiated monkeys. Acta Neuropathol 20: 267–277, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  27. Krupp JH: Nine year mortality experience in proton-exposed Macaca mulatta. Radiat Res 67: 244–257, 1976

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Soffer, D., Moshe Gomori, J., Pomeranz, S. et al. Gliomas following low-dose irradiation to the head report of three cases. J Neuro-Oncol 8, 67–72 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182089

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182089

Key words

Navigation