RESULTS

Median age of cohort was 44.95 years (range: 25–68). Three patients (15%) were known to have comorbidities (hypertension and diabetes). Majority of the cohort (17 patients; 85%) had left-side breast cancer. Majority of the cohort (85%) also had advanced primary (T3 and T4 stages) and N2 status (65%). Other histopathological features, receptor status, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy doses in the study population are shown in Table 1. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy regimen in the cohort was three cycles of 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m², epirubicin 60 mg/m², and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m² every 3 weeks followed by three cycles of docetaxel 75 mg/m². In all, 5/20 (25%) patients were given trastuzumab during and after radiation therapy.

Pulmonary function tests

Comparative analysis of different baseline PTFs parameters and those obtained at days 30 and 90 after the completion of radiotherapy are presented in Table 2. A significant decrease of FVC, FEV₁, and DLCO was noticed at day 90 after the completion of radiotherapy with P-values 0.033, 0.042, and 0.031, respectively (Figures 2–4), while MMEF_25–75and VO₂max were not significantly affected (Figures 5 and 6). All patients were found asymptomatic during the study period.