Pulmonary Toxicity of High-Dose Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: a Non-Invasive Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment
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Bone Marrow Transplantation, (1997) 20, 1063–1067 1997 Stockton Press All rights reserved 0268–3369/97 $12.00 Pulmonary toxicity of high-dose chemotherapy for breast cancer: a non-invasive approach to diagnosis and treatment L Chap1, R Shpiner2, M Levine2, L Norton1, M Lill1 and J Glaspy1 Divisions of 1Hematology/Oncology, and 2Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA Summary: ive dyspnea on exertion (DOE), a nonproductive cough ± fever, restrictive changes in pulmonary function and Drug-induced pulmonary toxicity is one of the most fre- occasional radiographic infiltrates.2 The optimal approach quent non-hematologic toxicities in breast cancer to diagnosis and treatment, however, has not been eluci- patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy with cyclo- dated. phosphamide, cisplatin and BCNU (CY/CDDP/BCNU). Studies of new approaches for the prevention and early A non-invasive clinical scoring system was utilized in an diagnosis of pulmonary toxicity will depend upon the attempt to diagnose and treat early lung toxicity in 64 development of valid, reproducible and objective diagnostic consecutive breast cancer patients undergoing criteria. This study was intended to develop a noninvasive CY/CDDP/BCNU supported by peripheral blood pro- model to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of chemo- genitor cells. Following hospital discharge, patients who therapy-associated pulmonary toxicity by which points developed symptoms suggestive of lung toxicity were were assigned for abnormal results of pulmonary function evaluated with physical examination, DLCO, 2-min tests and physical examination. walking oximetry and a chest radiograph. Clinically weighted scores were assigned as follows: crackles on lung exam, 2; decrease in corrected DLCO by .10% Patients and methods from baseline, 3; decrease in O2 saturation by >4% with a 2-min walk, 3; and interstitial infiltrates on chest Patients radiograph, 3. Patients with scores >6 were treated Sixty-four consecutive breast cancer patients undergoing with prednisone (60 mg p.o. twice a day followed by a high-dose chemotherapy with CY/CDDP/BCNU supported 2-month taper). Treatment was instituted in 37 patients by peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) transplantation (58%) a median of 56 days after high-dose chemo- between July 1993 and September 1994 were prospectively therapy. Steroid therapy was associated with rapid followed. Patients were eligible if they had high-risk breast clinical improvement in most patients. No fatal compli- cancer, defined as >10 involved lymph nodes or primary cations or chronic pulmonary fibrosis was seen. This tumors .5 cm with lymph node involvement, or metastatic non-invasive clinical scoring system can be utilized as a disease with a demonstrated response to standard-dose model for the early diagnosis of lung toxicity. Further chemotherapy. The high-risk breast cancer patients were investigation is warranted for the development of pre- treated with three or four courses of standard-dose doxorub- ventative measures against this syndrome. icin-based chemotherapy for induction, and patients with Keywords: high-dose chemotherapy; peripheral blood metastatic disease were treated with a variety of standard- progenitor cell; pulmonary toxicity; breast cancer dose chemotherapy agents until maximal response. Entry criteria included a minimum post-bronchodilator FEV1 of .60% predicted and corrected DLCO of .60% predicted. Following induction chemotherapy, patients were enrolled High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support in a randomized study to receive granulocyte colony-stimu- for subsets of patients with breast cancer is being used with lating factor (G-CSF) ± stem cell factor for the mobilization 1–3 increasing frequency in the USA. These patients are fre- of PBPCs; .4 × 108 mononuclear cells were collected dur- quently conditioned with a combination of cyclophospham- ing 3 days of leukapheresis. The high-dose chemotherapy ide, cisplatin and BCNU (CY/CDDP/BCNU). Pulmonary consisted of cyclophosphamide, 1875 mg/m2/day on days toxicity is one of the most frequent non-hematologic tox- −5to−3 ; cisplatin, 55 mg/m2/day on days −5to−3; and icities associated with this regimen, with a reported inci- BCNU, 600 mg/m2 as a single infusion on day −2. The 4 dence of 39%. The interstitial pneumonitis which occurs previously collected PBPCs were infused on days 0 to +2. can progress to fatal pulmonary fibrosis if left untreated or All patients received daily G-CSF beginning on day 0 until if the diagnosis is delayed.2,5 The pulmonary syndrome is hematologic recovery. Informed consent documents now well recognized and typically manifests with progress- approved by the UCLA Human Subjects Protection Com- mittee were signed by all patients. Correspondence: Dr LI Chap, Division of Hematology/Oncology, 10945 All high-risk patients received local-regional radiation LeConte Ave, 2333 PVUB, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA therapy (XRT) to the chest wall and regional lymph nodes Received 11 December 1996; accepted 21 August 1997 (45–50 Gy) following recovery from transplantation. Diagnosis of drug-induced lung toxicity L Chap et al 1064 Pulmonary evaluation Results Pretreatment evaluation included a history and physical Clinical features examination, chest radiograph (PA and lateral), spirometry with DLCO (single breath diffusion capacity with standard Sixty-four consecutive female patients were studied. The Coles hemoglobin correction) and a 2-min flat walk oxime- patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. The median try. Following hospital discharge, patients were routinely age of the patients was 45 years and the majority (61%) followed-up at 1 and 2 weeks, monthly for 3 months and were treated for high-risk breast disease. Six of the patients every 2 months thereafter. Evaluation consisted of a symp- had pulmonary metastases; none of these demonstrated a tom history, physical examination and laboratory studies, lymphangitic pattern of disease. The majority of the including a complete blood count and chemistry panel. patients received radiation to the chest wall and regional Patients who reported symptoms suggestive of possible pul- lymph nodes following transplantation. Only eight of the monary toxicity (eg DOE, cough, fever or chest tightness) patients had a smoking history, and one patient had a his- underwent additional testing with DLCO, 2-min walking tory of sarcoidosis which was quiescent at the time of trans- oximetry and a chest radiograph. In nearly all instances, plantation. the DLCOs and oximetry were done on the same machine Treatment was instituted in 37 patients (58%) who and evaluated by the same technician. Patients who lived developed clinical evidence of pulmonary toxicity. Thirty too far away to travel to the transplant center for a full of these patients (81%) had a complete pulmonary evalu- pulmonary evaluation were encouraged to see their primary ation, as described above, and were assigned a clinically physicians and maintain contact by phone. All patients were weighted score. Twenty-six of the 30 patients (87%) had a clinical diagnostic score of >6, one had a score of 5 and followed for their response to treatment and outcome. A three had a score of 3 with symptoms (DOE) and a marked therapeutic response to treatment was defined as the resol- decrease from their baseline DLCOs (−30, −31 and −50%). ution of pulmonary symptoms and normalization of pul- Although the latter three patients did not meet the diagnos- monary function tests. The median follow-up was 28 tic criteria, they were treated on the basis of significant months (range, 22–34 months) post-transplantation. DOE and decrease in DLCO. The remaining seven patients were treated empirically, five based on symptoms, alone and two based on symptoms and a decreased DLCO. The clinical features of the patients who were treated are Diagnosis and treatment summarized in Table 2. The median onset of pulmonary toxicity was 56 days (range, 21–240 days) from day 0 of A clinically weighted point scoring system was developed transplantation. The most common symptom reported by to serve as a model for the diagnosis of pulmonary toxicity: affected patients was the subacute development of dyspnea crackles on lung exam, 2; decrease in corrected DLCO by on exertion (30 patients (81%)), usually evolving over sev- .10% from baseline, 3; decrease in O2 saturation by >4% eral days. Eight patients (22%) reported having a dry with a 2-min walk, 3; and interstitial infiltrates on chest cough, six as an isolated symptom, and three patients radiograph, 3. The individual scores assigned to these para- reported a fever .38.0°C, one as an isolated symptom and meters were based on the authors’ previous experience in two in conjunction with DOE. identifying this syndrome. Patients with a score >6 were Physical examination was abnormal in only three (8%) treated with prednisone; scores ,6 were followed up of the patients. Two patients had bibasilar inspiratory weekly until stable over 6 weeks or treatment criteria were crackles and one had diffuse, end-expiratory wheezing. met. Prednisone therapy was instituted at a dose of 60 mg p.o. twice a day for 10 days, followed by 30 mg q day × 1 week, 20 mg q day × 1 week, 15 mg q day × 1 week and then tapered by 5 mg once a day, each week thereafter. Table 1 Patient characteristics (n = 64) Patients who were unable to undergo a full pulmonary evaluation, due to distance from the transplant center, were Characteristic No. (%) treated empirically on the basis of symptoms and when available, by DLCO. Age ,50 years 44 (69) >50 years 20 (31) Median, 45 years (range, 32–64) Stage Statistics Locally advanced 39 (61) Metastatic 25 (39) Data on patient age, disease status, radiation treatment, his- Radiation treatment Pre-transplant 18 (28) tory of tobacco use and cytokine(s) used for PBPC mobiliz- Post-transplant 41a (64) ation were compared between the treated and non-treated None 10 (16) groups. A x2 test for proportions was used and a P value History of tobacco use 8 (13) of 0.05 or less was considered to indicate statistical signifi- History of lung disease 1 (2) cance.