Report of the independent review commissioned by the Royal College of Radiologists into brachial plexus neuropathy following radiotherapy for breast carcinoma

Brachial plexus neuropathy (BPN) is a rare but serious side effect of radiotherapy for operable breast carcinoma. It was identified in 48 of a sample of 126 patients (38%) who agreed to cooperate out of 249 members of RAGE, who were treated during the 14 year period 1980 to 1993 at 15 cancer centres. A conservative estimate of the total number of patients with operable breast cancer receiving radiotherapy at these centres during this time is 65,000. The incidence of BPN due to radiotherapy (BPN/RT) appears to be falling. From the first 7 years we found 41 cases and from the second 7 years only 7 cases. (author)