Radiation pneumonitis in breast cancer patients treated with taxanes: Does sequential radiation therapy lower the risk? Journal Article


Authors: Beal, K.; Hudis, C.; Norton, L.; Wagman, R.; McCormick, B.
Article Title: Radiation pneumonitis in breast cancer patients treated with taxanes: Does sequential radiation therapy lower the risk?
Abstract: Taxanes are now routinely used in conjunction with radiation therapy (RT) as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Recent publications have reported several cases of radiation pneumonitis (RP) in patients receiving RT and taxane chemotherapy, thus raising concern as to the safety of this combination. To decrease the potential risk of RP, we sequenced RT after taxane chemotherapy with a target interval of 3-4 weeks in two consecutive institutional breast protocols. Forty patients were treated on two adjuvant systemic protocols consisting of modified radical mastectomy (n = 9) or breast-conserving surgery (n = 31), followed by adjuvant doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and a sequential taxane (ACT), followed by RT. All patients had either node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer and were treated between October 2000 and September 2002. Postmastectomy, a median dose of 5040 cGy was delivered to the chest wall. After breast-conserving surgery, a median dose of 4680 cGy was delivered to the breast plus a 1400 cGy boost to the surgical cavity. Information regarding RP was gathered retrospectively by reviewing patient records. With a median follow-up of 28 months (range 6-42 months), no cases of clinical RP were identified and no local failures had occurred. The median time interval for all patients between the completion of chemotherapy and the initiation of RT was 34 days (range 5-70 days). At the latest follow-up, 2 patients were diagnosed with metastatic disease and 38 patients were without evidence of disease. Sequencing of RT after taxane therapy with a target interval of 3-4 weeks does not appear to result in increased pulmonary toxicity and is associated with good local control. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
Keywords: adult; clinical article; controlled study; aged; middle aged; survival rate; treatment failure; retrospective studies; disease course; mortality; doxorubicin; dose response; drug safety; multimodality cancer therapy; skin toxicity; treatment planning; paclitaxel; adjuvant therapy; cancer adjuvant therapy; radiation dose; chemotherapy, adjuvant; combined modality therapy; radiotherapy, adjuvant; cancer staging; follow up; methodology; follow-up studies; neoplasm staging; metastasis; lung toxicity; cohort studies; breast cancer; mastectomy; radiotherapy dosage; incidence; cohort analysis; cyclophosphamide; pathology; dose-response relationship, drug; breast neoplasms; retrospective study; high risk patient; radiation response; risk assessment; dose-response relationship, radiation; docetaxel; hospitalization; severity of illness index; adjuvant chemotherapy; breast tumor; taxoids; age distribution; taxane derivative; cancer control; trastuzumab; radiation pneumonia; taxanes; taxoid; radiation pneumonitis
Journal Title: Breast Journal
Volume: 11
Issue: 5
ISSN: 1075-122X
Publisher: Wiley Blackwell  
Date Published: 2005-01-01
Start Page: 317
End Page: 320
Language: English
DOI: 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2005.21696.x
PUBMED: 16174151
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 3" - "Export Date: 24 October 2012" - "CODEN: BRJOF" - "Source: Scopus"
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MSK Authors
  1. Clifford Hudis
    905 Hudis
  2. Larry Norton
    759 Norton
  3. Kathryn Beal
    221 Beal
  4. Beryl McCormick
    372 McCormick