[Myositis as a 'radiation-recall phenomenon' following palliative chemotherapy with carboplatin-gemcitabin for non-small-cell pulmonary carcinoma]

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2006 Aug 26;150(34):1891-4.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

A 58-year-old woman suffered pain due to a stage-IV adenocarcinoma of the right upper-lung lobe with signs of growth into the right axilla. Palliative local radiotherapy directed at the primary tumour followed by combination chemotherapy with carboplatin-gemcitabin led to partial remission. During the fourth and last cycle of her three-months course of chemotherapy, the patient again complained of pain in the right half of the thorax; later, a local swelling of the pectoralis muscles was found. She was diagnosed with myositis as a delayed reaction to irradiation (radiation-recall phenomenon) based on the clinical symptoms (redness of the skin, pain and distinct swelling) but especially on the basis of a CT-scan. This revealed a clear swelling of the pectoralis muscles, even though the tumour was in remission. The possibility of myositis as a radiation-recall phenomenon should be borne in mind whenever a patient presents with skin changes or pain within a previous irradiation field during chemotherapy with, for example, gemcitabin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carboplatin / adverse effects*
  • Carboplatin / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / radiotherapy
  • Deoxycytidine / adverse effects
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Myositis / etiology*
  • Palliative Care
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / adverse effects*
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Carboplatin
  • Gemcitabine