title: Brachial plexopathy after chemoradiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate late brachial plexopathy after primary chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive 43 disease-free patients were evaluated by a specifically developed 26-item questionnaire. Retrospectively, the brachial plexus was delineated and the dose-volume histograms were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a median follow-up of 24 months, no radiation-induced brachial plexopathy was reported in these 43 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No radiation-induced brachial plexopathy was seen in the patient group, although 72.1% of the brachial plexuses received doses > 60 Gy. These findings should prompt further prospective studies and also stress the importance of trying to keep the doses to the brachial plexus as low as possible while covering the target volumes well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Leuvens Kankerinstituut, University Hospitals Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. neleplatteaux@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Platteaux
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dirix
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nuyts
mesh_terms: D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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