Clinical value and research progress on prophylactic cranial irradiation in small cell lung cancer under advanced diagnosis and treatment technology / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly malignant, aggressive and prone to brain metastasis. Several guidelines recommend prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) as the standard treatment for SCLC patients who have achieved complete remission after initial systemic treatment. However, in the modern era, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been commonly applied in the diagnosis of brain metastasis, while radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy are widely adopted in the treatment of lung cancer. The value of PCI in SCLC has been questioned and challenged. In addition, the application of hippocampal avoidance and drugs to reduce the damage of neurocognitive function after PCI has also become a research hotspot. In this article, the research progress on PCI was reviewed with the latest literature, aiming to provide reference for selecting the most suitable individualized treatment for patients receiving PCI.