Korean J Med.  2011 Apr;80(4):458-463.

A Case of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia after Radiation Therapy in Breast Cancer

• Hong JH
• Kang JY
• Kim TJ
• Lee JH
• Kim DW
• Yoon HK
• Song JS

Abstract

Pulmonary toxicity can develop following radiation therapy during breast cancer treatment. Of the pulmonary toxicities that can develop, radiation-induced bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is relatively rare. A 43-year-old woman who had previously undergone radiation therapy for right breast cancer presented with fever and cough for 4 days. Chest radiology findings demonstrated consolidations in the right middle and lower lobe. Initially, we assumed that her findings were consistent with pneumonia and started empirical antibiotics. However, even after 10 days of antibiotic treatment, the fever persisted, and the consolidations showed progression. A transbronchial lung biopsy of the right middle lobe via bronchoscopy revealed organizing pneumonia. We strongly suspected radiation-induced BOOP and began steroid treatment. The symptoms and consolidations rapidly disappeared. We tapered the steroids, and no relapse has occurred since then. Considering the clinical, radiological, and pathological findings, we diagnosed the patient with radiation-induced BOOP. To our knowledge, this is the first case of radiation-induced BOOP in Korea.

Keyword

Breast cancer; Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia; Radiotherapy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Biopsy
Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis Obliterans
Bronchoscopy
Cough
Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia
Female
Fever
Humans
Korea
Lung
Pneumonia
Recurrence
Steroids
Thorax
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Steroids