Results
Of 86 children who met inclusion criteria, 99% received pulmonary toxic chemotherapy, and 79% received thoracic radiotherapy. Patients showed an overall decrease in all three lung function parameters immediately post-treatment. Between one- and four-years post-treatment, there was a larger sustained decline in percent predicted lung function parameters for females (mean Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second, FEV1=81.0% ±15.7) than males (FEV1=93.2% ±10.2). Sensitivity analysis of 65 children who received radiation and bleomycin revealed pulmonary function trends similar to the overall population.
Conclusions
Our results reveal that male and female patients experience different lung function trajectories following pulmonary toxic cancer treatment, with females performing more poorly over time despite similar baseline function. Further research is needed to better understand the factors associated with poor lung function and impaired recovery post-treatment, particularly in females. [248 words]