A systematic review of the influence of radiation-induced lymphopenia on survival outcomes in solid tumors.
Lymphopenia is a common accompaniment of multimodal cancer therapy. As the most radiosensitive cells of the hematopoietic system, lymphocytes residing within or circulating through a radiation portal are frequently depleted by radiation therapy. The recognition that radiation-induced reduction of circulating lymphocyte counts and eventual lymphocyte infiltration of tumors have a tangible impact on overall survival outcomes has revived the interest in understanding the causes of treatment-associated lymphopenia and developing strategies to predict, prevent and ameliorate this well-documented phenomenon. In this systematic review, we have performed a comprehensive search of the literature to elucidate the studies that document a correlation between radiation-associated lymphopenia and survival outcomes in solid malignancies. We also summarize potential unifying paradigms that account for radiation-induced lymphopenia across studies and lay the groundwork for attempting to explain and/or counter this phenomenon.
['Venkatesulu|Bhanu Prasad|BP|', 'Mallick|Supriya|S|', 'Lin|Steven H|SH|', 'Krishnan|Sunil|S|']
D006801:Humans D018655:Lymphocyte Count D008231:Lymphopenia D009369:Neoplasms D011379:Prognosis D011832:Radiation Injuries D016019:Survival Analysis D016896:Treatment Outcome
Systematic review Lymphopenia Radiation Chemotherapy