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

Background : 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. Aim : 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. Materials and methods : 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. Results and Conclusion : 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. ------------------------- Cite this article as: 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. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2013; 1 (2):01021. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.14319/ijcto.0102.1