Visual Loss Following Cranial Irradiation For Primary Brain Tumour

Postoperative cranial irradiation is a standard adjuvant treatment for malignant brain tumours1. Usually it is tolerated quite well, although gastrointestinal and dermatological side effects are occasionally seen. Fortunately, these are transient and reversible. The neurological side effects are uncommon, often delayed and irreversible. We report a rare case of subacute visual loss eight months following cranial irradiation for an anaplastic frontal oligodendroglioma. The mechanisms responsible for this unfortunate phenomenon are explored and issues regarding quality of life are discussed.