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Case report
Late-onset radiation-induced brachial plexopathy
  1. Kelly Anne Attard1,
  2. James Carlos Vella1,2 and
  3. Charmaine Chircop1,2
  1. 1Department of Neurology, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
  2. 2Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
  1. Correspondence to Dr Kelly Anne Attard; kelly-anne.attard{at}gov.mt

Abstract

The late-onset variant of radiation-induced brachial plexopathy is most often seen after treatment for breast or lung cancers. It has an insidious onset, with symptoms noted years after receiving radiotherapy, and the condition gradually continues to deteriorate with time. We present the case of an elderly man who we saw in view of worsening paraesthesias and weakness of his left arm with associated prominent muscle wasting along the left shoulder girdle. Fifteen years prior to this, he had received radiotherapy for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

  • radiotherapy
  • neurological injury
  • peripheral nerve disease
  • radiology
  • neurology

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-243354

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors CC is a consultant neurologist who was heavily involved in the assessment and care of the patient. The case was then written up by KAA and JCV, and CC kindly reviewed and edited the final draft.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.