# Radiation pneumonitis and lung fibrosis

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/radiation-pneumonitis/  
OnCo record `radiation-pneumonitis` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Inflammation of the lung one to six months after chest radiotherapy, causing cough, breathlessness and fever; usually settles with steroids but can leave permanent scarring.

## Summary

Radiation pneumonitis follows treatment of lung, oesophageal, breast and lymphoma targets and depends on the volume of lung receiving moderate doses (the V20 and mean lung dose constraints exist to limit it), on chemotherapy and immunotherapy given alongside, and on pre-existing lung disease. Symptomatic pneumonitis is treated with a tapering course of corticosteroids; the late phase is fibrosis of the treated lung, which is permanent. Immunotherapy after chemoradiation (PACIFIC) raised pneumonitis rates and is now a routine consideration.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-16
- Tags: radiation-wave1

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pneumonitis
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pneumonitis

## Connected records

- cancers: [Non-small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/nsclc/), [Oesophageal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/esophageal/), [Small-cell lung cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/sclc/)
- technologies: [IMRT / IGRT (modern external beam)](https://onco.cc/technologies/imrt-igrt/), [Proton therapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/proton-therapy/), [Radioprotectors and normal-tissue sparing drugs](https://onco.cc/technologies/radioprotectors/)
- trials: [NCIC MA.20](https://onco.cc/trials/ma-20/)

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