A Newly Recognized Syndrome – Radiation-Related Bronchiolitis obliterans and Organizing Pneumonia

Abstract

Bronchiolitis obliterans and organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a syndrome that has been associated with a variety of underlying disorders, including infection, collagen vascular diseases and toxic fume inhalation. Rarely, however, BOOP has been associated with radiation- or chemotherapy-induced pulmonary toxicity. Over the past 3 years, several case series have reported BOOP in the unique setting of radiation in breast cancer patients. This study describes our experience with this newly recognized syndrome and a review of the English-language literature on this syndrome.

Systematic Review of Postradiotherapy Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia in Women With Breast Cancer

“…Arterial blood gases were reported infrequently, but several patients had hypoxemia and hypocapnia [14,28,36,43]. Pulmonary function test results for 13 patients most commonly showed decreased vital capacity and diffusing capacity [13,28,29,32,35,41,43] with no airflow obstruction; results were normal in 4 patients [14,31,33,34].…”

Cryptogenic organising pneumonia

“…A peculiar iatrogenic organising pneumonia is one that is ''primed'' by radiation therapy to the breast (tangential field radiotherapy) [109,[290][291][292][293][294][295][296][297][298][299][300]. It closely resembles COP and clearly differs from radiation pneumonitis, especially because it may involve nonirradiated areas of the lung and possibly be migratory.…”

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia Following Consumption of <i>Sauropus androgynus</i>

“…The association with respiratory infections, various lung disorders [10], immunological dysfunctions [11,12], following chest irradiation [13], and exposure to certain fumes, chemicals and various stimuli [1,8,14] has been described in the literatures. An overactive immune response to certain stimuli has been proposed as the initiation of the inflammatory process.…”