Radiation necrosis is a frequent adverse event after radiation therapy treatment of brain metastases. It is difficult to distinguish radiation necrosis from progressive disease due to their similarities on the magnetic resonance images. However the discrimination is critical since brain metastases relapses require prompt intervention while radiation necroses often do not require any treatment and resolve spontaneously.

MOLAB researchers had hypothesized that radiation necrosis could have a faster, although transient, growth dynamics after radiation therapy, but no study had proven that hypothesis using patient data.

In a collaboration with MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología,  Hospital General Universitario de Málaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Salamanca and HM Hospitals San Chinarro, MOLAB researchers took imaging data from more than 100 brain metastases experiencing both conditions and proved the hypothesis to be true. The mathematical model (growth law), allowed to classify with good accuracy the events on the basis only of the appearance of their growth curves obtained from the images.

This technology can be readily implemented in the clinics in order to help medical doctors to find the best approach for brain metastasis patient with lesions growing after radiation therapy.

Article reference:

B. Ocaña-Tienda et al, Neuro-Oncology Advances, vdac179, https://doi.org/10.1093/noajnl/vdac179