Effect of radiotherapy on pulmonary function and fatigue of women undergoing treatment for breast cancer

Abstract

This study compared the pulmonary function and fatigue in patients before and after adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and correlated the pulmonary function with the radiotherapy dose and fatigue. A longitudinal and observational study was conducted involving 20 women. Pulmonary function was evaluated by digital lung spirometry (ClementClarke®) and manometry (GlobalMed®, model MVD 300) and fatigue was analyses by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Fatigue (FACT-F). All evaluations were conducted before the first RT session and up to one week after this treatment. Statistical analyses were conducted by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Spearman, considering p<0.05. There was significant reduction at spirometry parameters: forced vital capacity (23.52%), forced expiratory volume in the first second (26.23%), peak expiratory flow (10.12%) (p=0.001). Maximal expiratory pressure (25.45%) and maximal inspiratory pressure (32.92%) also showed significant reduction at manometry. There was a significant reduction on physical well-being and functional well-being and a significant increase in fatigue evaluated by the FACT-F (p=0.001). There was no correlation between pulmonary function, radiation dose and fatigue. Short-term effects of radiotherapy showed reduction of pulmonary function, but the values were considered similar to normal. There was a significant increase in fatigue, and significant decrease of physical well-being and functional well-being.