Percutaneous brachytherapy for small-sized non-small cell lung cancer

A patient with a small-sized pulmonary adenocarcinoma was successfully trea ted by percutaneous high dose rate interstitial brachytherapy alone. The pa tient, who had an adenocarcinoma with 12-mm diameter in the lingular lobe o f left lung, was judged to be inoperable because of Door pulmonary function due to emphysema and extensive pleural adhesion. The tumor was punctured w ith a 21-gauge fine applicator needle followed by the introduction of an ir idium 192 (Ir-192) radioactive source through the applicator needle using a remote afterloader. The tumor was irradiated for 225.1 s in one fraction. The tumor was in the inside of the iso-dose line of 40 Gy. The delivered do ses calculated at nine reference points, which were 12.5 mm distant from th e center of the tumor, distributed between 19.225 and 32.169 Gy, with a mea n of 24.8 Gy. No apparent side effect including pneumothorax and hemoptysis was observed. The tumor shrank and showed no increment of the size for abo ut 2 years. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.