The effect on pulmonary function of tangential field technique in radiotherapy for carcinoma of the breast.
Twenty-five patients treated by lumpectomy and radiotherapy for Stage I breast cancer were enrolled in a prospective study to measure the effects of tangential field irradiation on pulmonary function. Fractional doses of 2 Gy to a total of 50 Gy were administered with the tangential technique. An additional 10 Gy (2 Gy x 5) was given as direct booster. Dynamic and static lung volumes, distribution of ventilation and gas transfer were measured before irradiation and at varying intervals up to 1 year after the completion of therapy. There was a small, but statistically significant decrease in the forced vital capacity (mean 63 ml) and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (mean 79 ml) measured 3 months after irradiation (p less than 0.05). These changes were reversed within 1 year. The reduction in total lung capacity (mean 240 ml) after 3 months was nearly significant (p = 0.06). The remaining variables did not change to a significant degree. We conclude that a slight restrictive ventilatory impairment may occur when a combined tangential and direct booster technique is applied. The changes are, however, small and reversible, and imply no clinical importance.
Lund
M B
MB
University of Oslo, Department of Thoracic Medicine, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
Myhre
K I
KI
Melsom
H
H
Johansen
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D014797:Vital Capacity