Radiation-Induced Sarcoma after Breast Cancer: 20 Years of a Single-Center Experience

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Radiation-induced sarcoma (RIS) is a rare but very severe complication of radiotherapy and, as this therapeutic method has been used widely in breast cancer treatment for the past years, the incidence of this malignancy is expected to grow. Due to the scarcity of radiation-induced sarcoma cases and the time the tumor takes to develop after initial treatment, the diagnosis and management of such patients are difficult and confusing. This study was conducted to analyze the course, survival, and potential predictive factors in patients diagnosed with RIS in a comprehensive cancer center since 2000. Methods The authors performed both a retrospective and prospective evaluation of clinical data for 10 patients in total. Results In this group, the median time of RIS development after radiotherapy was 7.6 years (range: 2.3 years – 29.4 years). In six patients, the relapse was confirmed with the median time since the diagnosis of 7.8 months, and in total twelve, progressions were observed. Conclusion The results, compared with already existing literature, have demonstrated that special attention is needed for patients diagnosed with breast cancer, even in a long-term follow-up care.