Longitudinal changes of regional spontaneous brain activity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving chemoradiotherapy

This longitudinal study revealed distinct stage-specific brain activity changes during chemoradiotherapy in NPC patients. Chemotherapy induced transient compensatory increases in ReHo in the middle cingulate gyrus, while subsequent radiotherapy led to increased activity in the calcarine fissure. Combined treatment resulted in decreased spontaneous activity in the inferior temporal gyrus, a key component of the default mode network. These temporal dynamics suggest evolving compensatory mechanisms followed by eventual functional alterations, providing neurobiological insights into the progressive nature of treatment-related cognitive impairments and potential biomarkers for monitoring brain changes during cancer treatment.