title: Can cutaneous telangiectasiae as late normal-tissue injury predict cardiovascular disease in women receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overall, approximately 5% of patients show late normal-tissue damage after radiotherapy with a smaller number having a risk of radiation-induced heart disease. Although the data are conflicting, large studies have shown increased risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) for irradiated patients compared with non-irradiated ones, or for those treated to the left breast or chest wall compared with those treated to the right. Cutaneous telangiectasiae as late normal-tissue injury have so far only been regarded as a cosmetic burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationship between late normal-tissue radiation injury phenotypes in 149 irradiated breast cancer patients and the presence of cardiovascular disease were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant association between the presence of skin telangiectasiae and the long-term risk of CVD was shown in these patients (P=0.017; Fisher's exact test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This association may represent initial evidence that telangiectasiae can be used as a marker of future radiation-induced cardiac complications. It could also suggest a common biological pathway for the development of both telangiectasiae and CVD on the basis of a genetically predisposed endothelium. To our knowledge this is the first reported study looking at this association.
authors: Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK.
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Tanteles
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Whitworth
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mills
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Peat
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Osman
authors: G P
authors: GP
authors: McCann
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Chan
authors: J G
authors: JG
authors: Barwell
authors: C J
authors: CJ
authors: Talbot
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Symonds
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013684:Telangiectasis / Q000209:etiology*