[Postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for resected non-small cell lung cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between survival and postoperative three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) in patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
Eighty-four patients were treated with surgery and postoperative 3DCRT for NSCLC. Sixty-five (77.4%) patients received lobectomy, and 19 (22.6%) received pneumonectomy. Fifty-four (64.3%) patients achieved R0 resection and 30 cases (35.8%) received R1/R2 resection. Fifty-two patients were of stage IIIA and 24 patients were of stage IIIB. Photon energy of 6 MV was used for all the patients. The median 3DCRT dose was 60 Gy (40 - 70 Gy) with a fraction size of 2 Gy. Thirty-seven patients received median 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 35.5 months for survivors.


RESULTS
The overall 3-year survival rate was 58.6%, and the 4-year overall survival rate was 43.9%. Of the 43 patients who had treatment failure, only 8 (9.9%) patients showed intrathoracic recurrence, but 38 (46.9%) patients had distant metastasis. The univariate analysis for all patients showed that sex, age, weight loss, tumor size, pathology and stage were not correlated with prognosis. R1/R2 resection was associated with a significantly worse survival. Toxicities were acceptable, with 9 (11.1%) patients appeared higher than NCI CTC grade 2 radiation pneumonitis.


CONCLUSIONS
In a population-based cohort, postoperative 3DCRT for NSCLC provides a good prognosis, and the radiation-related pneumonitis is acceptable.
Ji
Wei
W
Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Wang
Lü-hua
LH
Ou
Guang-fei
GF
Liang
Jun
J
Feng
Qin-fu
QF
Xiao
Ze-fen
ZF
Chen
Dong-fu
DF
Lü
Ji-ma
JM
Zhou
Zong-mei
ZM
Zhang
Hong-xing
HX
Yin
Wei-bo
WB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D017564:Radiation Pneumonitis / Q000209:etiology; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate