Oral bisphosphonates, concurrent thoracic radiotherapy and oesophagitis.

摘要

Sir - We wish to report the development of severe oesophagitis in a patient after palliative radiotherapy to the thoracic spine, while on oral bisphosphonates. A 67-year-old woman had a left mastectomy for breast carcinoma in 1996. Ten years later she developed chest wall recurrence, wliich was excised and treated with postoperative radiotherapy without complications. The patient was re-referred in December 2008 with thoracic spine discomfort. Investigations confirmed extensive bone metastases. Palliative radiotherapy was given in a single fraction to the thoracic spine from T7 to T10. A single posterior megavoltage (6MV) field was used with a dose of 12.5 Gy prescribed at D_(Max) (this is a long-established standard palliative regimen in this department [1]).