A Comparative Study of Oral and Pharyngeal Adverse Events in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Conventional and Hypofractionated Radiotherapy

Abstract

Background: Radiation therapy is one of the primary treatment methods for breast cancer. Oral and pharyngeal complications are significant challenges associated with this treatment. This study aimed to compare the oral and pharyngeal complications in patients receiving radiation therapy using two techniques: conventional and hypofractionated. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study, 70 breast cancer patients treated at Seyed-al-Shohada Hospital in Isfahan in 2024 were examined. The patients were divided into two groups: those receiving conventional radiation therapy (5000 cGy in 25 fractions) and those undergoing hypofractionated radiation therapy (4250 cGy in 16 fractions). Oral and pharyngeal complications were assessed and compared during treatment and up to 60 days post-treatment based on the CTCAE V5 criteria in both groups. Findings: The findings of this study demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of acute oral and pharyngeal adverse events in the conventional radiotherapy group compared to the hypofractionated radiotherapy group (P = 0.05). Specifically, the prevalence of moderate (grade 2) and severe (grade 3) adverse events was 17.1 and 8.5 in the conventional group, respectively, compared to 14.2 and 0 in the hypofractionated group. Data analysis indicated that the clinical variables of age, body mass index (BMI), and concurrent chemotherapy also had a significant impact on the severity of oral and pharyngeal adverse events in both treatment groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This clinical study demonstrated that patients receiving hypofractionated radiation therapy experienced fewer oral and pharyngeal complications than those treated with the conventional technique. © 2024 Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.