P. Philips et al., POSTOPERATIVE RADIOTHERAPY AFTER PNEUMONECTOMY - IMPACT OF MODERN TREATMENT FACILITIES, International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics, 27(3), 1993, pp. 525-529
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Oncology,"Radiology,Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Purpose: The present study was undertaken to see how modern treatment
facilities, computed tomography (CT)-based treatment planning and line
ar accelerator, have modified the results of postoperative irradiation
after a pneumonectomy for lung cancer. Methods and Materials: Between
1970-1985, 103 patients were treated in our department after a pneumo
nectomy: 50 patients with a T1T2N0 tumor and 53 patients with a T3, N1
or N2 tumor. Three groups were considered: 27 patients had only surgi
cal resection, 51 patients were irradiated postoperatively with a Co60
source, and 25 patients were treated using those modern facilities. R
esults: The 5-year survival varies from 4% to 31% according to the tum
or extent but also to the radiation technique. Patients treated with a
Co60 source had a dismal 5-year survival rate (8%) whereas patients t
reated with the modern facilities had a 5-year survival rate of 30% si
milar to the 31% of the control surgical group including less advanced
tumors. Conclusion: Linear accelerator and computed tomography-based
treatment planning improved the accuracy of postoperative thoracic irr
adiation and allow to deliver high doses to the mediastinum even after
a pneumonectomy.