Serum cardiac troponin T levels during treatment of early-stage breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To measure serum troponin T concentrations in patients with early-stage left breast cancer during breast-conserving radiation therapy. Troponin T has been introduced recently as a sensitive and specific marker for acute myocardial injury.


METHODS
We compared pretreatment and posttreatment serum troponin T values in 50 patients undergoing radiation therapy to the entire left breast following conservative surgery for stage I and II breast cancer.


RESULTS
No changes in troponin T concentrations were found after 45 to 46 Gy whole-breast irradiation. All women had undetectable or normal troponin T on the first and last day of treatment. There was no evidence of an upward trend during treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiation therapy to the left breast does not affect serum cardiac troponin T levels, despite the fact that a portion of the myocardium lies within the high-dose region. This suggests that the acute effects of radiation on the myocardium are minor. Long-term evaluation of these patients is necessary to rule out the possibility of late cardiac morbidity due to accelerated atherosclerosis. This study also suggests that an elevated troponin T level during or shortly after left breast irradiation should not be attributed to treatment.
Hughes-Davies
L
L
Joint Center for Radiation Therapy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Sacks
D
D
Rescigno
J
J
Howard
S
S
Harris
J
J
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood*; D020107:Troponin T
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D014336:Troponin; D020107:Troponin T