During radiotherapy for cancer, the brain can suffer from damage, including neurovascular injury and edema. Radiation-induced brain injury can affect a patient’s quality of life and overall survival. To better understand the effects of this condition, a study was performed on two patients with refractory radiation-induced brain edema. The results show that the use of apatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, can be beneficial in improving the patient’s condition. However, further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of this treatment.
Symptoms of brain edema include headache, dizziness and nausea. In addition to this, patients can experience memory loss and other cognitive impairments. Corticosteroids are often used to reduce these symptoms. Although these drugs are effective, they can also cause a number of side effects, including an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. A newer drug, apatinib, has been developed to treat this condition. It inhibits angiogenesis, the process by which blood vessels form in the brain, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. This drug is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of brain edema, but it may offer a viable alternative for patients who require therapy.
Previously, it was believed that radiation-induced brain injury was mainly a localized symptom. But now, it is considered that radiation-induced brain edema is a late central nervous system complication. Since radiation-induced brain edema can interfere with a person’s health and survival, it is important to evaluate the effect of apatinib on the condition.
A pilot study was conducted to compare the effects of different treatments on the clinical manifestations of brain edema. It was found that a combination of dehydration and corticosteroids did not improve symptoms, but the addition of an anti-inflammatory drug, such as apatinib, did. As expected, this strategy improved the patient’s physical and mental state. After 2 weeks, the patient no longer had a headache, dizziness, nausea and weakness. Moreover, the patient was aware of his location and time.
Another study was conducted on patients with primary brain tumors. Using a series of cell lines, researchers tested the ability of Memantine to protect synapses from injury. They also investigated the potential role of the drug in protecting the patient from cognitive dysfunction. These findings have led to some clinical trials. While these results are not sufficient to determine if Memantine can prevent the development of radiation-induced brain edema, they are sufficient to warrant further investigation in a prospective study.
Ultimately, it is unclear how long or how much of the new drug can be safely administered to patients with refractory radiation-induced edema. Nevertheless, it appears that it is well tolerated, and it is a promising drug for treating the condition. Further investigations are required to better determine the dosage and duration of the drug.
There are a number of ways to measure the impact of the medication on the condition. Some of them include measuring the degree of edema, histological characteristics of the tumor and the degree of peritumoral edema.
