Effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on respiratory function in patients with breast cancer

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in chest X-rays, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and quality of life in female breast cancer patients who had been treated with four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of a regimen of cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and 5-fluorouracil (CEF regimen), and to determine the correlation between pulmonary function parameters and declined quality of life. METHODS: Twenty-nine eligible female patients diagnosed with breast cancer at the first visit who were 20−60 years old, were classified as the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I−II and patients whose body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m(2) were recruited and subjected to chest X-ray examinations, PFTs and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) questionnaire before and after receiving 4 cycles of the CEF regimen. RESULTS: In this study, chest X-rays showed no abnormal changes after chemotherapy, but significant decreases in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) and percentage of the DLCO predicted value (DLCO%) (P<0.001). A significant increase in maximal ventilatory volume (MVV) (P=0.004) was observed, and most patients experienced dyspnea (P=0.031) and fatigue (P<0.001). However, there was no significant correlation between the changes in these PFTs parameters and the results of the EORTC QLQ-C30 (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can reduce lung diffusion function and quality of life in females with breast cancer.