Main Session
Sep
28
PQA 04 - Breast Cancer, Patient Reported Outcomes/QoL/Survivorship, Functional Radiation Medicine, Hematologic Malignancies, Palliative Care, and International/Global Oncology
2701 - Impact of Daily Probiotic Yogurt on Esophageal Dose Parameters and Radiation Esophagitis Incidence in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
Presenter(s)
Li Bo, - Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University. Xi’an, China, Xi'an,
L. Bo1, F. Bai2, and L. N. Zhao3; 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University. Xi’an, China, Xi'an, Shanxi, China, 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, xi'an, Shaanxi, China, 3Department of Radiation Oncology,Xijing Hospital,Air Force Medical University CN, xi'an, China
Purpose/Objective(s):
Radiation esophagitis (RE) is a common toxicity of regional lymph node radiotherapy for breast cancer. We investigated whether probiotic yogurt intake modifies esophageal dosimetry or reduces RE incidence.Materials/Methods:
This prospective cohort study enrolled 60 breast cancer patients undergoing chest wall + supraclavicular intensity-modulated radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions). Patients were assigned to consume 100 mL/day unsweetened probiotic yogurt (intervention, n=30) or no yogurt (control, n=30) from 1 week pre-radiotherapy to treatment completion. Esophageal dosimetric parameters (Dmean, Dmax, V5-V35, absolute volume AV35) were extracted from dose-volume histograms. RE was graded per CTCAE v3.0, with follow-up to 1 month post-radiotherapy.Results:
Baseline characteristics were balanced. No significant differences in esophageal Dmean (17.8±3.2 vs 18.1±3.5 Gy, P=0.612), Dmax (38.5±4.1 vs 39.2±3.8 Gy, P=0.301), V5-V35, or AV35 (0.24±0.11 vs 0.26±0.10 mL, P=0.357) were observed between groups. The intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of grade =2 RE (16.7% vs 28.3%, P=0.040), reduced intestinal flora disturbance (11.7% vs 25.0%, P=0.038), and less weight loss (1.2±0.8 vs 1.8±1.0 kg, P=0.002). No grade =3 RE occurred.Conclusion:
Probiotic yogurt intake during radiotherapy does not alter esophageal dosimetry but significantly reduces grade =2 RE and intestinal toxicity in breast cancer patients. Its protective effect likely reflects mucosal barrier enhancement via gut microbiota modulation, not radiation shielding. Yogurt is a safe, effective adjuvant dietary intervention to improve radiotherapy tolerance.