Pravastatin for Radiation-Induced Fibrosis of the Extremity: A Single-Center Experience.

Radiation therapy (RT) is a mainstay of treatment for several sarcomas. Radiation-induced fibrosis (RIF) is a common side effect of RT with an incidence of approximately 80%. RIF is caused by excessive proliferation of myofibroblasts, which produce collagen and extracellular matrix components, coupled with a reduction of remodeling enzymes. Targeting this pathway with pravastatin to prevent and ameliorate RIF has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer. We share our single-center experience using pravastatin to treat RIF involving the joints in children with sarcomas who developed RIF, as well as in a population administered prophylactically.