A patient with Loeys-Dietz syndrome treated with chemoradiotherapy for an oropharyngeal carcinoma

We present the first published case of a patient with Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) who was treated with radical chemoradiotherapy for an oropharyngeal carcinoma. In view of this newly recognised connective tissue disease, the uncertainty of severe toxicity from chemoradiotherapy to treat a potentially curative cancer posed a management challenge. The patient was treated with chemoradiotherapy and remains well with no evidence of recurrence at 3 years. Furthermore, we have observed minimal late effects secondary to chemoradiotherapy at 3 years following the completion of treatment suggesting that the underlying pathogenesis of LDS may provide an interesting human model to further elucidate the complex interactions of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and tissue fibrosis secondary to chemoradiotherapy. A review of LDS as well as the association of TGF-β1 expression and tissue fibrosis is presented.