TY - JOUR
T1 - Symptoms 10-17 years after breast cancer radiotherapy data from the randomised SWEBCG91-RT trial
AU - Lundstedt, Dan
AU - Gustafsson, Magnus
AU - Malmström, Per
AU - Johansson, Karl-Axel
AU - Alsadius, David
AU - Sundberg, Agnetha
AU - Wilderang, Ulrica
AU - Holmberg, Erik
AU - Anderson, Harald
AU - Steineck, Gunnar
AU - Karlsson, Per
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Background: Postoperative radiotherapy decreases the risk for local and improves overall survival in women with breast cancer. We have limited information on radiotherapy-induced symptoms 10-17 years after therapy. Material and methods: Between 1997 and 1997, women with lymph node-negative breast cancer were randomised in a Swedish multi-institutional trial to breast conserving surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy. In 2007, 10-17 years after randomisation, the group included 422 recurrence-free women. We collected data with a study-specific questionnaire on eight pre-selected symptom groups. Results: Fox six symptom group (oedema in breast or arm, erysipelas, heart symptoms, lung symptoms, rib fractures, and decreased shoulder mobility) we found similar occurrence in both groups. Excess occurence after radiotherapy was observed for pain in the breast or in the skin, reported to occur "occasionally" by 38.1% of survivors having undergone radiotherapy and surgery versus 24.0% of those with surgery alone (absolute difference 14.1%; p = 0.004) and at least once a week by 10.3% of the radiotherapy group versus 1.7% (absolute difference 8.6%; p = 0.001). Daily life and analgesic use did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Ten to 17 years after postoperative radiotherapy 1 in 12 women had weekly pain that could be attributed to radiotherapy. The symptoms did not significantly affect daily life and thus the reduced risk for local recurrence seems to outweight the risk for long-term symptoms for most women. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Radiotherapy and Oncology 97 (2010) 281-287
AB - Background: Postoperative radiotherapy decreases the risk for local and improves overall survival in women with breast cancer. We have limited information on radiotherapy-induced symptoms 10-17 years after therapy. Material and methods: Between 1997 and 1997, women with lymph node-negative breast cancer were randomised in a Swedish multi-institutional trial to breast conserving surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy. In 2007, 10-17 years after randomisation, the group included 422 recurrence-free women. We collected data with a study-specific questionnaire on eight pre-selected symptom groups. Results: Fox six symptom group (oedema in breast or arm, erysipelas, heart symptoms, lung symptoms, rib fractures, and decreased shoulder mobility) we found similar occurrence in both groups. Excess occurence after radiotherapy was observed for pain in the breast or in the skin, reported to occur "occasionally" by 38.1% of survivors having undergone radiotherapy and surgery versus 24.0% of those with surgery alone (absolute difference 14.1%; p = 0.004) and at least once a week by 10.3% of the radiotherapy group versus 1.7% (absolute difference 8.6%; p = 0.001). Daily life and analgesic use did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Ten to 17 years after postoperative radiotherapy 1 in 12 women had weekly pain that could be attributed to radiotherapy. The symptoms did not significantly affect daily life and thus the reduced risk for local recurrence seems to outweight the risk for long-term symptoms for most women. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Radiotherapy and Oncology 97 (2010) 281-287
KW - Long-term symptoms
KW - Randomised
KW - Breast Cancer
U2 - 10.1016/j.radonc.2010.09.018
DO - 10.1016/j.radonc.2010.09.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 20970212
SN - 1879-0887
VL - 97
SP - 281
EP - 287
JO - Radiotherapy and Oncology
JF - Radiotherapy and Oncology
IS - 2
ER -
