Rationale:

Radiation induced cardiac toxicity after treatment for intrathoracic tumours is a clinically relevant problem. So far, no clinical prediction models exist for cardiac toxicity. In particular, the relationship between radiation dose parameters and the risk of cardiac toxicity remains to be determined.

Clinical prediction models for cardiac toxicity are difficult to obtain, e.g. due to long latency time. Therefore, objective surrogate markers, for cardiac toxicity such as NT pro BNP and hs-TNT, as obtained during and after treatment may be of great value.

Objective:

The main objective to find a correlation between the rise in NT pro BNP level and the radiation dose given to the heart.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically proven oesophageal- or lung cancer (adeno-, or squamous cell carcinoma or other NSCLC type)
• Older than 18 years
• Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior radiotherapy to the chest including radiotherapy for breast cancer
• Patients treated with palliative intent

Patients with esophageal- or non small cell lung cancer treated with radiotherapy with curative intention, with or without chemotherapy, with or without surgery, at the department of radiotherapy at the University Medical Centre Groningen