Radiation-induced lung injury in breast cancer patients after breast conservation therapy

Abstract

Aim: the problem of postradiation lung injury is extremely topical, because of the close proximity to vital organs and the need of the significant part of tissue to receive the high dose of radiation in patients with breast cancer (BC). The aim of the analysis is to determine the frequency, severity of radiation damage to the lung tissue in women with BC, the frequency dependence on the technology of radiation therapy (RT) and the dose of radiation exposure, using 2D-conventional and 3D-conformal radiation therapy.materials and methods: we analyzed the data concerning the studies of thoracic organs (X-ray and computer tomography investigation) in 513 Tis-2N0-2M0 BC patients, receiving complex organ sparing treatment between 1996 and 2013 years. 318 patients were treated with postoperative 2D-conventional radiotherapy to a dose of 50 Gy, 195 patients - with 3D-conformal radiotherapy.results: we indicated that radiologically detected lung injury occur equally often in case of using 2D and 3D radiation therapy: 27,4 and 28,7%, respectively ( p >0,05); their frequency was significantly increased by 20-24% during radiotherapy only of the mammary gland and 37-41% - when doctors added the radiotherapy of cervical, supra - and infraclavicular regions. We showed that the risk of radiation pneumonitis in the ipsilateral lung was more than 25% and was significantly increased on the V20 increasing of the average dose to the lung more than 15 Gy.

Keywords

• breast cancer
• conformal radiation therapy
• radiation pneumonitis
• the average lung dose