How does this strategy change depending on the acuity or chronicity of the symptoms?
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Academic Institution
This is a frustrating problem. I agree that there are no proven treatments for radiation plexopathy. However, chronic radiation injuries appear due at least in part to an ongoing inflammatory process. Interrupting this process with pentoxifylline and Vitamin E has been successful in reversing fibros...
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at University of Maryland Medical Center Thank you for your thoughtful response!
at University of Minnesota Unfortunately, the same group from France conducte...
Radiation Oncologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Thank you for the update, though disappointing.
Radiation-induced brachial or lumbosacral plexopathy is typically not an acute disease; it slowly progresses over months to years. Unfortunately, there is nothing beyond symptomatic management (of pain, cramps, or myokymia) that has been proven to work. I do not use steroids or anticoagulants. Physi...
Answer from: Radiation Oncologist at Community Practice
Frustrating problem, we need better treatments for this and other late radiation fibrotic events.There is anecdotal and animal evidence for the leukotriene inhibitor, montelukast preventing or ameliorating fibrosis in a variety of systems. As you know, this drug is used for the treatment of asthma a...
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Radiation Oncologist at Radiation Oncologists PC I've been using pentoxiphyllin 400 mg TID plus 100...
Thank you for your thoughtful response!
Unfortunately, the same group from France conducte...
Thank you for the update, though disappointing.