Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors
Diencephalic tumors tend to be low grade tumors located near several critical structures, including the optic nerves, optic chiasm, pituitary, hypothalamus, Circle of Willis, and hippocampi. In children, damage to these structures can impact physical and cognitive development over time. Thus, the go...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1123082/full |
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author | Adam J. Grippin Susan L. McGovern |
author_facet | Adam J. Grippin Susan L. McGovern |
author_sort | Adam J. Grippin |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Diencephalic tumors tend to be low grade tumors located near several critical structures, including the optic nerves, optic chiasm, pituitary, hypothalamus, Circle of Willis, and hippocampi. In children, damage to these structures can impact physical and cognitive development over time. Thus, the goal of radiotherapy is to maximize long term survival while minimizing late effects, including endocrine disruption leading to precocious puberty, height loss, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and primary amenorrhea; visual disruption including blindness; and vascular damage resulting in cerebral vasculopathy. Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy offers the potential to decrease unnecessary dose to these critical structures while maintaining adequate dose to the tumor. In this article, we review the acute and chronic toxicities associated with radiation for pediatric diencephalic tumors, focusing on the use of proton therapy to minimize treatment-related morbidity. Emerging strategies to further reduce radiation dose to critical structures will also be considered. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:17:05Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-2630f5bd2b52450ab327e679c07ebf80 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2234-943X |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:17:05Z |
publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Oncology |
spelling | doaj.art-2630f5bd2b52450ab327e679c07ebf802023-05-05T06:00:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2023-05-011310.3389/fonc.2023.11230821123082Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumorsAdam J. GrippinSusan L. McGovernDiencephalic tumors tend to be low grade tumors located near several critical structures, including the optic nerves, optic chiasm, pituitary, hypothalamus, Circle of Willis, and hippocampi. In children, damage to these structures can impact physical and cognitive development over time. Thus, the goal of radiotherapy is to maximize long term survival while minimizing late effects, including endocrine disruption leading to precocious puberty, height loss, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and primary amenorrhea; visual disruption including blindness; and vascular damage resulting in cerebral vasculopathy. Compared to photon therapy, proton therapy offers the potential to decrease unnecessary dose to these critical structures while maintaining adequate dose to the tumor. In this article, we review the acute and chronic toxicities associated with radiation for pediatric diencephalic tumors, focusing on the use of proton therapy to minimize treatment-related morbidity. Emerging strategies to further reduce radiation dose to critical structures will also be considered.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1123082/fullpediatric brain tumordiencephalonradiationcraniopharyngiomalow grade gliomapituitary adenoma |
spellingShingle | Adam J. Grippin Susan L. McGovern Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors Frontiers in Oncology pediatric brain tumor diencephalon radiation craniopharyngioma low grade glioma pituitary adenoma |
title | Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
title_full | Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
title_fullStr | Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
title_full_unstemmed | Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
title_short | Proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
title_sort | proton therapy for pediatric diencephalic tumors |
topic | pediatric brain tumor diencephalon radiation craniopharyngioma low grade glioma pituitary adenoma |
url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1123082/full |
work_keys_str_mv | AT adamjgrippin protontherapyforpediatricdiencephalictumors AT susanlmcgovern protontherapyforpediatricdiencephalictumors |