Radiation-induced malignant mesenchymoma of the chest wall following treatment for breast cancer.
21 years after radiotherapy for breast cancer, a 63-year-old woman developed a malignant mesenchymoma of the chest wall. The total irradiation dose was 132 Gy. The first clinical symptom of this second malignancy was a slight irregular calcification around the implanted silicon protheses observed in a conventional chest X-ray. Radiation-induced sarcoma is a very rare complication of radiotherapy. In cases of chest wall calcification after radiation therapy further investigation should be carried out, because some patients with radiation-induced sarcoma could be saved, if an early diagnosis is reached.
Rustemeyer
P
P
Institut für klinische Radiologie, University of Münster, Germany.
Micke
O
O
Blasius
S
S
Peters
P E
PE
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008637:Mesenchymoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*