Abstract

We investigated the factors predicting radiation-induced organizing pneumonia (RIOP) relapse after tangential breast irradiation. The participants included 23 patients diagnosed with RIOP at the St. Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital between January 2008 and March 2015. Relapse was defined as the appearance of new lesions on diagnostic images during follow-up or after commencing treatment. The relapse-free survival rate and the following 9 parameters were compared between patients with and without RIOP relapse: 1) age (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 2) white blood cell count (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 3) C-reactive protein (CRP) level at the time of RIOP diagnosis (less than normal, more than normal/ less than borderline, and more than borderline); 4) boost irradiation (yes vs. no); 5) maximum lung depth on linacgraphy (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 6) hormone therapy (yes vs. no); 7) chemotherapy (yes vs. no); 8) RIOP ratio in the whole lung (less than vs. equal to or more than the median) at the time of RIOP diagnosis; and 9) use of corticosteroids (yes vs. no). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for statistical analysis, with relapse as the cutoff. The follow-up period spanned the date of RIOP onset to May 30, 2015. The level of significance for 2-sided tests was p < 0.05. Relapse was evident in 14 patients (60.8%). The relapse-free survival rate was significantly greater in the normal CRP group (less than 0.30 mg/dl) than in the abnormal CRP group (more than 0.36 mg/dl) (p = 0.044) and in the normal/borderline CRP group (less than 0.36 mg/dl) than in the high CRP group (more than 0.70 mg/dl) (p < 0.01). The CRP level at RIOP onset may be a useful predictor of relapse after breast-conserving therapy.We investigated the factors predicting radiation-induced organizing pneumonia (RIOP) relapse after tangential breast irradiation. The participants included 23 patients diagnosed with RIOP at the St. Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital between January 2008 and March 2015. Relapse was defined as the appearance of new lesions on diagnostic images during follow-up or after commencing treatment. The relapse-free survival rate and the following 9 parameters were compared between patients with and without RIOP relapse: 1) age (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 2) white blood cell count (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 3) C-reactive protein (CRP) level at the time of RIOP diagnosis (less than normal, more than normal/ less than borderline, and more than borderline); 4) boost irradiation (yes vs. no); 5) maximum lung depth on linacgraphy (less than vs. equal to or more than the median); 6) hormone therapy (yes vs. no); 7) chemotherapy (yes vs. no); 8) RIOP ratio in the whole lung (less than vs. equal to or more than the median) at the time of RIOP diagnosis; and 9) use of corticosteroids (yes vs. no). The Kaplan-Meier method was used for statistical analysis, with relapse as the cutoff. The follow-up period spanned the date of RIOP onset to May 30, 2015. The level of significance for 2-sided tests was p < 0.05. Relapse was evident in 14 patients (60.8%). The relapse-free survival rate was significantly greater in the normal CRP group (less than 0.30 mg/dl) than in the abnormal CRP group (more than 0.36 mg/dl) (p = 0.044) and in the normal/borderline CRP group (less than 0.36 mg/dl) than in the high CRP group (more than 0.70 mg/dl) (p < 0.01). The CRP level at RIOP onset may be a useful predictor of relapse after breast-conserving therapy.

Highlights

  • Breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer among Japanese women [1] [2]

  • Most patients with early breast cancer are treated by breast-conserving therapy involving partial mastectomy, followed by postoperative radiotherapy of the remaining breast tissue [3]

  • In a few patients, pulmonary infiltrates have been reported to appear both inside and outside the irradiated lung field. This disorder is classified as radiation-induced organizing pneumonia (RIOP)

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Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer is currently the most common type of cancer among Japanese women [1] [2]. In a few patients, pulmonary infiltrates have been reported to appear both inside and outside the irradiated lung field. This disorder is classified as radiation-induced organizing pneumonia (RIOP). The diagnosis of RIOP was based on the criteria proposed by Crestani et al, which included: a) a history of radiotherapy to the breast within the last 12 months; b) the presence of general and/or respiratory symptoms for ≥2 weeks; c) the detection of pulmonary infiltrates outside the radiation field; and d) no specific etiology [4]. Otani et al [6] investigated 26 cases of RIOP and found that corticosteroids did improve symptoms, their use in itself was a risk factor for relapse. The purpose of this study was to investigate other factors predicting the relapse of RIOP

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