Stereotactic single-dose radiotherapy of lung metastases.
BACKGROUND
Stereotactic treatment approaches lead to a significant reduction of irradiated volumes, which should make pulmonary targets more accessible to radiotherapy.


METHODS
Between May 1997 and December 2005, 61 patients received stereotactic single-dose dose treatment for 71 pulmonary metastases. Doses to the isocenter ranged from 12 to 30 Gy. Survival and local tumor control rates were evaluated prospectively.


RESULTS
After a median follow-up period of 14 months the actuarial overall survival was 78.4%, 65.1%, and 47.8% 12, 24, and 36 months after therapy, respectively. There was a significantly better survival (p = 0.023) for patients not developing further metastases during follow-up. The actuarial local progression-free rate was 88.6%, 73.7%, and 63.1% 12, 24, and 36 months after therapy. Although the majority of patients (70.4%) developed perifocal normal-tissue changes, these were not related to clinically relevant toxicities.


CONCLUSIONS
Stereotactic single-dose radiotherapy is a feasible, safe and effective local treatment option for solitary pulmonary metastases in patients with contraindications to surgery or for palliation of symptomatic pulmonary metastases.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Heidelberg, Germany. holger.hof@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Holger
H
Hof
Angelika
A
Hoess
Dieter
D
Oetzel
Jürgen
J
Debus
Klaus
K
Herfarth
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016634:Radiosurgery; D016019:Survival Analysis