ABSTRACT. Brain metastases are the most common central nervous system tumors. The mainstay treatment for this tumor in low to middle income countries is whole brain radiation therapy. Irreversible cognitive decline is associated with the use of whole brain radiotherapy. Several pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options have been employed in studies focusing on the prevention of cognitive decline following whole-brain radiation therapy. Memantine use has been shown to provide some benefit in reducing the rate of decline in cognitive function and time to cognitive failure. The objective of this review article is to provide a summary on available primary literature on the therapeutic role of memantine for the prevention of cognitive decline in cancer patients with brain metastasis receiving whole brain radiotherapy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.