Reversible brachial plexopathy following primary radiation therapy for breast cancer

Journal Article · · Cancer Treat. Rep.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5449861

Salner, A L; Botnick, L E; Herzog, A G; Goldstein, M A; Harris, J R; Levene, M B; Hellman, S

Reversible brachial plexopathy has occurred in very low incidence in patients with breast carcinoma treated definitively with radiation therapy. Of 565 patients treated between January 1968 and December 1979 with moderate doses of supervoltage radiation therapy (average axillary dose of 5000 rad in 5 weeks), eight patients (1.4%) developed the characteristic symptoms at a median time of 4.5 months after radiation therapy. This syndrome consists of paresthesias in all patients, with weakness and pain less commonly seen. The symptom complex differs from other previously described brachial plexus syndromes, including paralytic brachial neuritis, radiation-induced injury, and carcinoma. A possible relationship to adjuvant chemotherapy exists, though the etiology is not well-understood. The cases described demonstrate temporal clustering. Resolution is always seen.

• OSTI ID: 5449861
• Journal Information: Cancer Treat. Rep.; (United States), Vol. 65:9-10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CARCINOMAS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
MAMMARY GLANDS
NERVE TISSUE
RADIOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
ETIOLOGY
PATHOLOGY
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOINDUCTION
ANIMAL TISSUES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
DISEASES
DOSES
GLANDS
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOLOGY
THERAPY
TISSUES
550603* - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)
560151 - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
550900 - Pathology