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Complications and Toxicity of Radiotherapy for the Breast, Lung and Heart

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Imaging of Complications and Toxicity following Tumor Therapy

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

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Abstract

The side effects and toxicity of radiotherapy administered to the thorax can be separated into early and late types. The most important early effect is radiation pneumonitis which is dependent on various factors, the most important of which is dose. In the most severe cases, this can prove fatal, and the risk of developing severe radiation pneumonitis can limit therapeutic options. Early acute cardiac and cardiac side effects can also occur. The longer-term sequelae of thoracic irradiation include pulmonary radiation fibrosis, premature ischemic heart, cardiac valvular disease, radiation osteonecrosis, oesophageal strictures and the development of second cancers. These side effects are particularly relevant in the treatment of cancers of children and young adults especially in the treatment of lymphoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    John T. Murchison

  2. Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK

    Edwin J. R. van Beek

Authors
  1. John T. Murchison
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  2. Edwin J. R. van Beek
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Correspondence to John T. Murchison .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Hans-Ulrich Kauczor

  2. Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

    Tobias Bäuerle

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© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Murchison, J.T., van Beek, E.J.R. (2015). Complications and Toxicity of Radiotherapy for the Breast, Lung and Heart. In: Kauczor, HU., Bäuerle, T. (eds) Imaging of Complications and Toxicity following Tumor Therapy. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2015_1083

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2015_1083

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12840-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12841-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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