[Hypertension as risk factor for increased rate of side effects in the framework of breast carcinoma irradiation]

The rate of radiation-induced side-effects is dependent from exogenous technical and endogenous factors. Widespread endogenous factors are arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. 130 breast cancer patients were retrospectively evaluated for side-effects to estimate the influence of arterial hypertension. All were treated with mastectomy and irradiation (telecobalt) and consecutively followed. 79 patients had normal blood pressure, 51 showed arterial hypertension. Hypertension proved to be the strongest endogenous factor for the development of side-effects. In contrast to the patients with normal blood pressure those with hypertension showed significant more arm lymphedema (p less than 0.005) and telangiectasia (p less than 0.0001). Other endogenous factors, like cardiovascular diseases or obesity, taken together led only to a higher rate of subcutaneous fibrosis (p less than 0.002). Patients with arterial hypertension should receive axillary radiation only for strict indications and perhaps with a reduced dosage.