Radiation-Induced Glioblastoma Following Radiotherapy for Pituitary Adenomas: Marked Response to Chemotherapy

Abstract

Radiation-induced glioblastoma is particularly resistant to treatment, and therapeutic options are limited. We report a 48-year-old woman with a radiation-induced glioblastoma who had a complete response to nimustine hydrochloride. Our patient developed a left temporal meninigioma 22 years after and bi-temporal glioblastoma 30 years after a pituitary adenoma was treated with surgery and 50 Gy radiation therapy. She was treated with subtotal resection followed by four cycles of nimustine hydrochloride; a complete response was achieved. She relapsed 16 months after diagnosis of glioblastoma, and underwent further surgery and treatment with temozolomide. She survived for 26 months after the onset of glioblastoma. As the site was within the irradiated area, both meninigioma and glioblastoma were thought to be radiation-induced tumors. If further radiotherapy is not a therapeutic option for glioblastoma, chemotherapy may result in prolonged survival.