title: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a rare complication of radiotherapy in a patient with lung cancer.
abstract: The development of bone fractures after radiotherapy is a rare event which mainly concerns the pelvis or the long bones. This complication is unusual in the vertebrae. We describe the case of a 66-year-old male patient with lung cancer who was treated with combined radio-chemotherapy and developed dorsal pain secondary to vertebral compression 4 months after the end of radiotherapy. Investigations led to a diagnosis of post-radiotherapy vertebral osteonecrosis. It is important to differentiate metastatic lesions from radiological complications. It is not possible to differentiate a metastasis from a recent osteoporotic compression fracture by imaging. A bone biopsy may therefore be necessary. Metastatic bone involvement is common in patients with lung cancer. When images are not typical of secondary progression, however, and there is no change in the general state of the patient, evidence of thoracic progression of the tumour or distal progression other than bone, vertebral osteoporotic complications should be considered. It is important that a wrong diagnosis is not made without histological proof of metastasis which has a poor prognosis.
authors: Service d'Oncologie Thoracique, CHU Morvan, Brest, France. elise.ns@gmail.com
authors: Elise
authors: E
authors: Noël-Savina
authors: Renaud
authors: R
authors: Descourt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion