Assessment of pulmonary toxicities in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment with anthracycline and taxane based chemotherapy and radiotherapy- a prospective study

• Main Authors: Aramita Saha, Subrata Chattopadhyay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IJCTO 2013-12-01
• Series: International Journal of Cancer Therapy and Oncology
• Subjects: Anthracycline, Taxane, Radiotherapy, Pulmonary, FEV1/FVC
• Online Access: http://ijcto.org/index.php/IJCTO/article/view/23

<p><strong>Background</strong>: Anthracycline based regiments and/or taxanes and adjuvant radiotherapy; the main modalities of treatment for breast cancers are associated with deterioration of pulmonary functions and progressive pulmonary toxicities. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Aim</strong>: Assessment of pulmonary toxicities and impact on pulmonary functions mainly in terms of decline of forced vital capacity (FVC) and the ratio of forced expiratory volume (FEV) in 1 Second and FEV1/FVC ratio with different treatment times and follow ups in carcinoma breast patients receiving anthracycline and/or taxane based chemotherapy and radiotherapy. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Materials and methods</strong>: A prospective single institutional cohort study was performed with 58 breast cancer patients between January 2011 to July 2012 who received either anthracycline based (37 patients received 6 cycles FAC= 5 FU, Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide regime) and radiotherapy or anthracycline and taxane based chemotherapy (21 patients received 4cycles AC= Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide; followed by 4 cycles of T=Taxane) and radiotherapy. Assessment of pulmonary symptoms and signs, chest x-ray and pulmonary function tests were performed at baseline, midcycle, at end of chemotherapy, at end radiotherapy, at 1 and 6 months follow ups and compared. By means of a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, the course of lung parameters across the time points was compared. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results and Conclusion</strong>: Analysis of mean forced vital capacities at different points of study times showed definitive declining pattern, which is at statistically significant level at the end of 6^th month of follow up (p=0.032) .The FEV1/FVC ratio (in percentage) also revealed a definite decreasing pattern over different treatment times and at statistically significant level at 6^th month follow up with p value 0.003. Separate analysis of mean FEV1/FVC ratios over time in anthracycline based chemotherapy and radiotherapy group as well as anthracycline and taxane based chemotherapy and radiotherapy group showed a similar declining pattern.</p><p>-------------------------</p><p><strong>Cite this article as:</strong><br />Saha A, Chattopadhyay S. Assessment of pulmonary toxicities in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment with anthracycline and taxane based chemotherapy and radiotherapy- a prospective study. <em>Int J Cancer Ther Oncol</em> 2013; <strong>1</strong>(2):01021.</p><p><strong>DOI</strong>: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0102.1" target="_self">http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0102.1</a></p>