Study of breast cancer risk among patients who were treated for Hodgkin's disease with supradiaphragmatic radiation: in the Northern Region, UK.

Abstract

Treatment parameters, patient characteristics and length of follow up, related to the development of secondary breast cancer after radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease were studied. Records of 154 women aged less than 35 years, treated for Hodgkin's disease with supradiaphragmatic radiation, involving part of breast within the field were reviewed using the Radiotherapy Diagnostic Index, Cancer Registry and Lymphoma Register. Records were analyzed for the development of secondary breast cancer and possible contributing factors like treatment parameters, age at the time of radiation, period of follow up, and history of splenectomy. Secondary breast cancer free survival rates were also analyzed with regard to possible contributing factors. Only three secondary breast cancers occurred in this population Secondary breast cancer occurred at the shortest latent period was after 14 years of radiation treatment with the breast cancer free survival rate of 98.18 percentage , but only one third of this population were at risk with the same Latent period. Conclusion; Lower incidence of secondary breast cancer in this population may be due to the practice of reduced dose involved field radiation following initial chemotherapy and insufficient duration of follow up of this cohort, with only 11.5 years of median time of follow up. This cohort of patients should be followed up further and a systematic plan for lifelong screening, surveillance, and prevention should be developed for all survivors.