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Breast cancer radiotherapy did not induce liver stiffness

Radiotherapy was not correlated with liver stiffness or fibrosis among patients with breast cancer, according to study data.

Sixty patients with breast cancer from the Ahwaz Golestan Hospital in Iran were included and divided into three groups: group A consisted of 20 patients who had not received radiotherapy; group B had 20 patients who received left breast radiotherapy; and group C had 20 patients who received right breast radiotherapy. Patients in groups B and C had completed radiotherapy 2 weeks before the start of the study.

The average number of radiotherapy sessions among patients in group B was 20; in group C, the average number was 27. The mean number of years the patients used tamoxifen was 1.2 years in group A, 2.1 years in group B and 2.3 years in group C. The average liver elastography among all patients was 6 kilopascal (kPa) in group A, 7.2 kPa in group B and 6.9 kPa in group C.    

Researchers found no correlation between breast radiation and elasticity of the liver; no relationship between the amounts of tamoxifen used and the degree of liver stiffness (P=.558); no significance between how long patients used tamoxifen (P=.59) with liver stiffness; or the number of chemotherapy (P=.31) and radiotherapy (P=.38) sessions with liver stiffness.    

“No significant relationship was observed between liver stiffness and the degree of radiation therapy for breast cancer despite the proximity of the liver even with doses higher than 40 Grays,” the researchers concluded. “Although, we recommend to be cautious in case of any symptom or abnormal liver function tests.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.