Delayed Onset of Pleural Effusion After Thoracic Radiation Therapy for Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Case Report With Over 30-Year Follow-Up

Abstract

Pleural effusion after thoracic radiation therapy is an important adverse event affecting the patient's quality of life. A 58-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with the complaint of exertional dyspnea for several months. Chest radiography revealed left pleural effusion, most likely related to radiotherapy to mediastinal and left cervical lymph nodes in the treatment of localized Hodgkin lymphoma 25 years ago. She was followed for the next eight years and experienced a slow exacerbation of pleural effusion. Here, we report a case of extremely late-onset pleural effusion after thoracic radiotherapy.