Elective whole-lung irradiation in osteosarcoma treatment: appearance of bilateral breast cancer in two long-term survivors.

The effect of "prophylactic" lung radiation in preventing pulmonary metastasis was studied in a subset of patients with osteosarcoma. Benefit was not noted. Thirteen of the irradiated patients in the treatment group were females; in 2 of the 13, bilateral breast cancer developed approximately 15 years later. Radiation administered to the breast of an adolescent female carries a considerable risk of causing breast cancer.