Calcification in coronary arteries as quantified by CT scans correlated with tobacco consumption in patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer treated with three-dimensional radiotherapy.
It has been shown that radiological manifestations of coronary artery sclerosis are an indirect measure of co-morbidity and predictive of survival. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the outcome and side effects after three-dimensional (3D) radiotherapy in patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) stage I, II and IIIA, depending on coronary artery calcification, Karnofsky performance index (KI) and co-morbidity. Between 1993 and 1999, 89 patients with unresectable NSCLC were treated with 3D-radiotherapy. The median age was 66.6 years and median KI 80%. All patients had 3D-treatment planning, based on CT scans. The median total dose was 60 Gy in 2 Gy fractions five times a week. The mean follow-up period was 13.2 months and mean survival time 12.2 months. Significant prognostic factors for improved survival were KI and tumour stage. Patients with a KI<90% had a median survival of 6.5 months compared with 14 months, in patients with KI>/==" BORDER="0">90% (p<0.001). NSCLC stage I+II showed a significantly longer median survival than patients with NSCLC stage IIIA (16.5 months versus 7 months, p<0.004). A significant correlation was seen between pack-years and coronary artery calcification (p<0.05) and between age and marked coronary artery calcification. The incidence of calcification was 67% in smokers (>/==" BORDER="0">20 pack-years) and 43/58 in patients >60 years (p<0.007). Side effects, e.g. pneumonitis, did not correlate with coronary artery calcification but correlated with chronic obstructive lung disease in 19/89 patients. Conventional CT scans for 3D-treatment planning are able to detect coronary artery calcification. There is a significant correlation between age, KI, tobacco consumption and vascular calcification. Although there was a trend to worse overall survival, coronary artery calcification was not a significant predictor of progression-free and overall survival.
Milker-Zabel
S
S
Department of Clinical Radiology, Radiation Therapy, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
Zabel
A
A
Manegold
C
C
Zuna
I
I
Wannenmacher
M
M
Debus
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome