Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCauseDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Cause
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Prevention
Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is an inflammation of the lungs due toradiation therapyorstereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)for cancer. Radiation pneumonitis affects between 15% and 40% of people who undergo radiation therapy forlung cancer.It may also develop in patients who undergo chest radiation forbreast cancer, lymphomas, thymic tumors, oresophageal cancer.
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Radiation Pneumonitis Symptoms
Radiation pneumonitis symptoms can be very similar tolung cancer symptomsor side effects from other cancer treatments, or they can be mistaken for an infection such aspneumonia. Thus, many people disregard or miss these common signs of RP:
These symptoms may appear as little as a month after radiation or may not develop until a year later, but most cases are diagnosed within eight months of treatment.
Often, the symptoms are mild enough for people to tolerate and recover with no need for additional medical treatment. In other cases, symptoms can be serious and result in severe respiratory problems, includingacute respiratory distress syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition.
This is a good reminder that you should talk to your oncologist about any symptoms related to your breathing or your overall health after lung cancer treatment. Don’t assume that a problem is just a side effect that you need to live with. It may be a complication that your healthcare provider can treat.
Bronchiolitis Obliterans and Its Causes and Treatment
Several factors can put you at risk for complications:
While concurrent radiation and chemotherapy may increase your risk for radiation pneumonitis, studies show that the combined treatment can improve five-year survival rates in those withnon-small cell lung cancer.Be sure to discuss all the pros and cons with your healthcare provider and weigh your options carefully before ruling out radiation.
Smoking and Reduced RP Risk
Whilesmokingis a clear risk of developing lung cancer, it seems to actually offer some protection against developing radiation pneumonitis. That is, those who continue to smoke after radiation are less likely to report symptoms.
It’s unclear if the reason could be that people who tend to already have pulmonary symptoms before radiation are less likely to recognize and report symptoms.
Regardless, continuing to smoke during and/or after lung cancer treatment is not advised due to the numerous health risks it imposes, including shorter survival.
There is no specific diagnostic test to confirm radiation pneumonitis. Instead, your healthcare provider will make a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms.
The analysis might include the following:
Differential Diagnoses
Because RP’s symptoms are so similar to those of other lung conditions, your healthcare provider will use the results of tests and an examination to rule out other possible causes, including:
What Makes Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia Different?
Radiation pneumonitis treatment is aimed at decreasing inflammation. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are the main course of treatment.
Researchers have also been looking at ways to use targeted therapies to treat the problem. However, studies have yet to find a proven effective treatment.
While radiation pneumonitis can sometimes lead to serious respiratory distress, in the vast majority of cases, it is not a deadly condition. The risk of dying from RP is less than 2%.
Thus, with proper treatment, you should be able to overcome radiation pneumonitis. However, if it goes untreated, RP can lead topulmonary fibrosis, scarring of the lungs. This condition, which can make breathing very difficult, is one of the known side effects of radiation therapy.
What You Need to Know About Long-Term Effects of Radiation Therapy
Researchers are looking for ways to reduce the risk of radiation pneumonitis among people going through radiation for lung cancer. Multiple strategies are being explored to reduce the risk of radiation pneumonitis, including various drugs like amifostine, pentoxifylline, and ACE inhibitors, but none have entered widespread use.
Soy derivatives have shown promise in mouse studies in reducing lung inflammation and scarring after radiation, but it is not clear whether this effect would be helpful for preventing the condition in humans.
A Word From Verywell
Radiation pneumonitis is very common in people who are treated for cancers such as lung cancer and breast cancer. Thankfully, with treatment, the condition often resolves without going on to cause life-threatening problems. The most important thing you can do is be aware of the possible symptoms and talk to your healthcare provider if you experience any of them.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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