title: External radiation in the management of superior sulcus tumor.
abstract: Thirty-one patients with superior sulcus tumor (Pancoast's syndrome) treated with radiation between 1967 and 1980 were reviewed. Doses ranged from 2000 to 7000 cGy delivered with a continuous schedule (23 patients) and a split course regimen (8 patients). The overall survival at 5 years was 18% (median, 17 months). Patients without bone erosion or scalene lymph node involvement (13 patients) had the best 5-year survival rate of 40%. Local control tended to correlate with the total dose and tumor extent; doses below 5000 cGy or bone invasion were associated with a higher rate of local failure. Primary external radiation is not only useful for palliation but can also cure some patients with superior sulcus tumor.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000532:radiotherapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010166:Palliative Care; D010178:Pancoast Syndrome / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage