Comparison of peripheral leukocyte parameters in patients receiving conventionally and hypofractionated radiotherapy schemes for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma

Introduction: Treatment for glioblastomas, aggressive and nearly uniformly fatal brain tumors, provide limited long-term success. Immunosuppression by myeloid cells in both the tumor microenvironment and systemic circulation are believed to contribute to this treatment resistance. Standard multi-modality therapy includes conventionally fractionated radiotherapy over 6 weeks; however, hypofractionated radiotherapy over 3 weeks or less may be appropriate for older patients or populations with poor performance status. Lymphocyte concentration changes have been reported in patients with glioblastoma; however, monocytes are likely a key cell type contributing to immunosuppression in glioblastoma. Peripheral monocyte concentration changes in patients receiving commonly employed radiation fractionation schemes are unknown.

Methods: To determine the effect of conventionally fractionated and hypofractionated radiotherapy on complete blood cell leukocyte parameters, retrospective longitudinal concentrations were compared prior to, during, and following standard chemoradiation treatment.

Results: This study is the first to report increased monocyte concentrations and decreased lymphocyte concentrations in patients treated with conventionally fractionated radiotherapy compared to hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Discussion: Understanding the impact of fractionation on peripheral blood leukocytes is important to inform selection of dose fractionation schemes for patients receiving radiotherapy.