title: Early onset of bilateral brachial plexopathy during mantle radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease.
abstract: We report a case of brachial plexus neuropathy occurring in a 50-year-old man treated with standard mantle radiotherapy for early-stage Hodgkin's disease. A dose of 35 Gy in 20 fractions was given to the mantle field, following by a boost to the right side of the neck (8 Gy in four fractions). The onset of symptoms was early in the course of treatment and a gradual and almost full recovery was observed over 3 years after completion ofradiotherapy. The diagnosis was supported by electromyography. The temporal relationship of the radiotherapy and the onset of the brachial plexus neuropathy suggests a cause and effect, but this association is rarely reported after mantle radiotherapy. We review the aetiology of this condition and postulate possible mechanisms in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Bebington, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Churn
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Clough
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slater
mesh_terms: D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome