title: Combined radiosurgical treatment of Pancoast tumor.
abstract: Operative technique and long-term results of 60 consecutive patients with Pancoast tumor treated with combined radiosurgical treatment were evaluated. External radiation therapy was administered preoperatively in a dose of 30 Gy in 50 patients. Operation was considered radical (R0) in 36 patients (60%). A microscopic invasion of the margin of resection (R1) was observed in 5 patients (8.3%). In 19 patients (31.6%) the operation was considered presumably not radical (R2). Three patients died in the postoperative period (5%). Fourteen major postoperative complications occurred in 13 patients (21%). Seven patients had recurrence of pain postoperatively. Overall 3- and 5-year actuarial survival rates were 34% and 17.4%, respectively. The corresponding figures for the R0 and combined R1-R2 groups were 45.8% and 23.5% (R0), and 11.4% (R1-R2; no 5-year survivors were observed in this group) (p < 0.025). Median survivals in the R0 and combined R1-R2 patients were 19 and 7 months, respectively. Different median survivals for the patients with residual tumor were as follows: intervertebral foramina, 5 months; subclavian artery (isolated), 9 months; subclavian artery (in association), 7 months; brachial plexus, 4 months; and vertebral body, 7 months. We conclude that combined radiosurgical treatment represents a valuable therapeutic option in the treatment of Pancoast tumor. In case of residual tumor a poor outcome may usually be anticipated, but in the majority of these patients the operation permits good control of the pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casadio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pischedda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giobbe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cianci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruffini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molinatti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancuso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010178:Pancoast Syndrome / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis