Quality of life after stereotactic radiotherapy for stage I non-small-cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of stereotactic radiotherapy on the quality of life of patients with inoperable early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Overall survival, local tumor control, and toxicity were also evaluated in this prospective study.


METHODS
From January 2006 to February 2008, quality of life, overall survival, and local tumor control were assessed in 39 patients with pathologically confirmed T1 to 2N0M0 NSCLC. These patients were treated with stereotactic radiotherapy. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ) C30 and the QLQ LC13 lung cancer-specific questionnaire were used to investigate changes in quality of life. Assessments were done before treatment, at 3 weeks, and at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment, until death or progressive disease. Toxicity was evaluated using common terminology criteria for adverse events version 3.0.


RESULTS
Emotional functioning improved significantly after treatment. Other function scores and QLQ C30 and QLQ LC13 lung symptoms (such as dyspnea and coughing) showed no significant changes. The overall 2-year survival rate was 62%. After a median follow-up of 17 months, 1 patient had a local recurrence (3%). No grade 4 or 5 treatment-related toxicity occurred. Grade 3 toxicity consisted of thoracic pain, which occurred in 1 patient within 4 months of treatment, while it occurred thereafter in 2 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Quality of life was maintained, and emotional functioning improved significantly after stereotactic radiotherapy for stage I NSCLC, while survival was acceptable, local tumor control was high, and toxicity was low.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Erasmus MC-Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. n.vandervoortvanzyp@erasmusmc.nl
Noëlle C
NC
van der Voort van Zyp
Jean-Briac
JB
Prévost
Bronno
B
van der Holt
Cora
C
Braat
Robertus J
RJ
van Klaveren
Peter M
PM
Pattynama
Peter C
PC
Levendag
Joost J
JJ
Nuyttens
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D003371:Cough / Q000601:surgery; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate