Early Onset Radiation Induced Sarcoma Following Treatment for Glioblastoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Radiation induced sarcoma after irradiation of brain tumour is a rare complication of radiotherapy, with an incidence of 0.03 to 0.3%. It is associated with poor prognosis and frequently occurs five years after completion of treatment. Herein we report a case of a 35-year-old female who had been diagnosed with glioblastoma of the left frontal region. After surgical resection of the tumor, she was treated with external beam radiotherapy. Subsequently she developed a scalp swelling of the left temporal region within two years of completing treatment. Histopathologic examination of the swelling aided by immunohistochemistry in collaboration with the history and the latency period suggested the diagnosis of radiation induced sarcoma. We report this case for its rarity and to highlight the short latency period (within two years) of development of a secondary neoplasm after postoperative radiotherapy.

Keywords

• latency period
• radiation therapy
• secondary neoplasm