The Etiology of Treatment-related Lymphopenia in Patients with Malignant Gliomas: Modeling Radiation Dose to Circulating Lymphocytes Explains Clinical Observations and Suggests Methods of Modifying the Impact of Radiation on Immune Cells

Purpose: Severe treatment-related lymphopenia (TRL) occurs in 40% of patients with high grade gliomas (HGG) receiving glucocorticoids, temozolomide, and radiation. This occurs following radiation, persists for months, and is associated with reduced survival. As all three treatment modalities are lymphotoxic, this study was conducted to estimate the radiation dose that lymphocytes receive passing through the radiation field and if this could...