Wja. Anderson et al., Radical radiotherapy for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer: What factors predict prognosis?, CL ONCOL-UK, 12(1), 2000, pp. 48-52
We set out to determine the factors that predict the outcome of conventiona
l radical radiotherapy for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer. A retrosp
ective casenote review was carried out of all 69 patients treated between 1
986 and 1992 at the Northern Ireland Centre for Clinical Oncology, Belfast,
with radical radiotherapy for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer. The t
umour dose ranged from 45 Gy to 67.5 Gy, delivered in 15-30 fractions, 5 da
ys per week over 3-6 weeks. All patients were followed up for 5 years.
The disease was TNM Stage T-1-T4N0-N2M0. The majority of rumours (51) were
squamous. Overall survival was 63.8% (44-patients; 95% confidence interval
(CT) 51.3-75.2) at one year; median survival was 16 months and 5-year survi
val was 13% (nine patients; 95% CI 6.1-23.3). Five-year survival for the 36
patients with stage T-1 or T-2 disease was 5.6% (2 patients). Five-year su
rvival for the 33 patients with stage T-3 or T-4 disease, all with tumours
at or near the carina, was 21.2% (seven patients). A WHO performance status
of 0 or 1 (P = 0.03, Cox proportional hazards model) was associated with a
better chance of survival.