Stereotactic body radiotherapy for lung tumors at the pulmonary hilum.
OBJECTIVE
High-dose irradiation to the pulmonary hilar region is generally considered to be of high risk in causing bronchial injury. The aim of this retrospective study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with lung tumors in the pulmonary hilum.


METHODS
21 patients who underwent SBRT for lung tumors within 2 cm from a major bronchus were retrospectively analyzed. The total biologically effective doses ranging from 50.7 to 157.5 Gy (median, 100 Gy) were given to the tumors by SBRT.


RESULTS
The overall survival rates at 1 and 2 years after SBRT were 90.0% and 62.2%, respectively. Nine patients were alive and 15 irradiated tumors were controlled during the follow-up period of 10-54 months (median, 20 months). Nine patients died of tumor progression and one patient each died of hemoptysis, infectious pneumonia, and epidural hemorrhage. Severe late toxicity (>or= grade 3) was seen in three patients of whom two had previously received repeated radiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
SBRT for lung tumors located in the pulmonary hilar region may be tolerable and acceptable, if multiple treatments to the same major bronchus are avoided, and irradiated volumes are carefully taken into consideration.
Oshiro
Yoshiko
Y
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. ooyoshiko@pmrc.tsukuba.ac.jp
Aruga
Takashi
T
Tsuboi
Koji
K
Marino
Kan
K
Hara
Ryusuke
R
Sanayama
Yasushi
Y
Itami
Jun
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017741:Survivors