Background: Loco-regional radiotherapy is an important treatment modality in breast cancer and radiation pneumonitis (RP) is one of the early toxicities.
Aim: To study the occurrence, correlation of RP with patient and radiotherapy related factors and the effects on pulmonary function following conventional radiotherapy in breast cancer.
Settings and design: Prospective study, from a tertiary hospital in a developing country.
Materials and methods: Prospective analysis of clinical symptoms, pulmonary function and radiologic changes was done prior to and 12 weeks after adjuvant radiotherapy (n=46). Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 10 software.
Results: Radiological and clinical RP was seen in 45.65% (n=21) and 19.56% (n=9) respectively. RP was significantly higher with age >50 years (OR 4.4), chest wall irradiation with electrons, (electrons 83.3% vs cobalt60 32.4%, p=0.02) and supraclavicular field treatment with 6 MV photons (p= 0.011). There was significant relationship between Inferior Lung Distance (ILD) and RP (p=0.013). The fall in Total Lung Capacity (TLC) was significantly more in those with RP (p=0.02).
Conclusion: Clinical RP occurs in almost one-fifth of breast cancer patients treated with conventional radiotherapy. Chest wall irradiation with electrons, supraclavicular field irradiation with 6 MV photons, higher ILD and age >50 years was associated with increased RP. The pulmonary function parameter most affected was TLC. The factors associated with increased RP should be considered when adjuvant radiotherapy is planned to minimize its likelihood and intervene appropriately.
Keywords: Adjuvant radiotherapy; Pulmonary function; Radiology.