A longitudinal neuropsychological study of partial brain radiation in adults with brain tumors

To investigate longitudinal cognitive functioning in patients with brain tumor treated with modern highly conformal fractionated partial brain radiation therapy (RT).

Seventeen (of 22 initial consecutive patients) adults with primarily low-grade brain neoplasms who underwent either biopsy or tumor resection were tested at pre-RT baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after baseline. Participants were classified as RT-treated nonprogressors (n = 12) or progressors (n = 3) based on serial follow-up structural imaging. Two patients received surgery only and served as controls to help minimize surgical, practice, test form, or other potential non-RT effects. Serial neuropsychological assessments were conducted using alternate forms of the Selective Reminding Test, 10/36 Spatial Recall Test, and Symbol Digit Modality Test (oral, written) as well as the Shipley Scale (baseline only), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Digit Span, Trail Making Test, and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised Global Severity Index scale.

There was evidence of subtle attention and memory improvement in RT-treated nonprogressors throughout the 2-year period, with no evidence of cognitive decline. In contrast, patients with disease progression evidenced more substantial decline in memory and attention.

Partial brain fractionated RT was not associated with adverse neuropsychological effects through the first 2 years following therapy.