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Effective treatment of the brachial plexus syndrome in breast cancer patients by early detection and control of loco-regional metastases with radiation or systemic therapy
- Source :
- International journal of clinical oncology. 14(3)
- Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- In breast cancer (BC) patients the brachial plexus syndrome (BPS) has been reported to be due to loco-regional metastases or radiation plexopathy. Associated arm edema is considered more suggestive of the latter. Radiation therapy is the only effective treatment for BPS reported. The charts of all BC patients who presented to our clinic from 1982 to 2006 with homolateral arm pain and neurological deficits, without humerus, cervical spine, or brain metastases, were reviewed. There were 28 patients fulfilling these criteria for BPS. Supraclavicular, axillary or chest wall metastases developed synchronously with the BPS in 26 patients; in 21 they were recurrences, found 6–94 months (median 34 months) after primary BC treatment, while in 5 others they were progressing inoperable primary tumors and nodes. Arm edema first occurred at the same time as loco-regional metastases in 19 patients. Treatment for the BPS was administered to 22 patients; it was directed at their locoregional metastases. The BPS was initially treated with radiation (8 patients) or chemo- or endocrine therapy (14 patients); 19 (86%) had partial or complete remission of pain and neurologic deficits, with an 8-month median duration. The BPS in BC patients is due to loco-regional metastases and is often associated with arm edema. Chemoor endocrine therapy induced the remission of pain and deficits as frequently as radiation therapy.
- Subjects :
- Adult
medicine.medical_specialty
medicine.medical_treatment
Breast Neoplasms
urologic and male genital diseases
Breast cancer
Surgical oncology
Edema
medicine
Humans
Neoplasm Metastasis
Brachial Plexus Neuropathies
Aged
Chemotherapy
business.industry
Hematology
General Medicine
Syndrome
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Surgery
Plexopathy
Radiation therapy
Early Diagnosis
Oncology
Brachial Plexopathy
Female
Radiology
medicine.symptom
business
Brachial plexus
hormones, hormone substitutes, and hormone antagonists
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13419625
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International journal of clinical oncology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....b2cfdad75ca50cf4138c76b9909bba09