TY - JOUR
T1 - Pulmonary Changes After Radiotherapy for Conservative Treatment of Breast Cancer
T2 - A Prospective Study
AU - Krengli, Marco
AU - Sacco, Mariano
AU - Loi, Gianfranco
AU - Masini, Laura
AU - Ferrante, Daniela
AU - Gambaro, Giuseppina
AU - Ronco, Marco
AU - Magnani, Corrado
AU - Carriero, Alessandro
PY - 2008/4/1
Y1 - 2008/4/1
N2 - Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) after conservative surgery for breast cancer involves part of the pulmonary parenchyma with a potential detrimental effect of reducing the normal functional reserve. Such an effect deserves to be studied in depth, considering the given long life expectancy of these women. We prospectively analyzed high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) with correlation with dosimetric data from RT. Methods and Materials: Lung HRCT and PFTs were performed in 41 women who had undergone conservative surgery for breast cancer before and 3 and 9 months after postoperative RT. The PFTs included forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, total lung capacity, maximal expiratory flow at 50% and 25% of vital capacity, and the diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide. HRCT was matched with the RT treatment plan images to analyze the dosimetric correlation. Results: At 3 months after RT, the lung alterations were classified at HRCT as follows: 46.3% were Grade 1, 24.4% Grade 2, and 7.3% Grade 3, and at 9 months, 58.5% were Grade 1, 19.5% Grade 2, and 0% Grade 3. The PFTs showed a significant decrease at 3 months, with only partial recovery at 9 months. Chemotherapy, but not hormonal therapy, was associated with PFT changes. The grade of fibrosis increased with increasing lung volume treated to a dose ≥25 Gy. Conclusion: Lung changes, mainly related to damage to the alveolar-capillary barrier and smallest airway ramifications, were observed at 3 months, with only partial recovery at 9 months after RT. Minimizing the lung volume receiving ≥25 Gy could reduce pulmonary toxicity.
AB - Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) after conservative surgery for breast cancer involves part of the pulmonary parenchyma with a potential detrimental effect of reducing the normal functional reserve. Such an effect deserves to be studied in depth, considering the given long life expectancy of these women. We prospectively analyzed high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) with correlation with dosimetric data from RT. Methods and Materials: Lung HRCT and PFTs were performed in 41 women who had undergone conservative surgery for breast cancer before and 3 and 9 months after postoperative RT. The PFTs included forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, total lung capacity, maximal expiratory flow at 50% and 25% of vital capacity, and the diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide. HRCT was matched with the RT treatment plan images to analyze the dosimetric correlation. Results: At 3 months after RT, the lung alterations were classified at HRCT as follows: 46.3% were Grade 1, 24.4% Grade 2, and 7.3% Grade 3, and at 9 months, 58.5% were Grade 1, 19.5% Grade 2, and 0% Grade 3. The PFTs showed a significant decrease at 3 months, with only partial recovery at 9 months. Chemotherapy, but not hormonal therapy, was associated with PFT changes. The grade of fibrosis increased with increasing lung volume treated to a dose ≥25 Gy. Conclusion: Lung changes, mainly related to damage to the alveolar-capillary barrier and smallest airway ramifications, were observed at 3 months, with only partial recovery at 9 months after RT. Minimizing the lung volume receiving ≥25 Gy could reduce pulmonary toxicity.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - High-resolution computed tomography
KW - Lung toxicity
KW - Pulmonary function tests
KW - Radiotherapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=40949114979&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.08.050
DO - 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2007.08.050
M3 - Article
SN - 0360-3016
VL - 70
SP - 1460
EP - 1467
JO - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
JF - International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics
IS - 5
ER -
