Acute Pulmonary Toxicity and Quality of Life in Curative Intent Radiotherapy of Thoracic Tumours

PURPOSE: This study evaluates the acute effects of radiation on the lung, its dosimetry, and its impact on lung subvolumes and quality of life. METHODS: This is a prospective study of patients with thoracic and breast tumours undergoing radical intent radiotherapy. Patients were treated with radiation as per standard practice for the disease site. The clinical assessment of pulmonary toxicity was performed as per Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) at the end of four months of radiation. The lung sub-volumes were delineated, and dosimetry was recorded. The quality of life was assessed pre- and post-RT (at four months) using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ C30 3.0 questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirty patients were recruited in this study. Only one patient out of a total of thirty patients (3.3%) in this cohort showed symptoms of pulmonary toxicity at the end of four months of completion of radiation. There is a positive correlation between the dose prescribed and the dose received by the lung subvolumes. As the dose prescribed increases, the dose received by the lung sub volumes also increases. However, only a few parameters are statistically significant. Quality of life significantly improved post-radiation, particularly in global health status and physical functioning. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows a low incidence of acute lung toxicity post-radiation. The dose received by lung sub volumes increases with the prescribed dose. Quality of life improved following radiation and was not correlated with dose.