Limited resection followed by intraoperative seed implantation is comparable to stereotactic body radiotherapy for solitary lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent wedge resection plus intraoperative brachytherapy versus patients who received stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for single malignant lung nodules.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review included 55 patients who were treated for single lung nodules, and 47 of those patients who had adequate information were chosen for the current analysis. Twenty-five patients with single malignant lung nodules received SBRT. Twenty-two patients underwent limited surgical resection plus radioactive seed implantation for solitary malignant lung nodules.


RESULTS
Univariate statistical analysis demonstrated a significance difference only for age in the 2 groups: The mean age in the radioactive seed group (66.6 years) was statistically significantly different from the mean of the age in the SBRT group (75.9 years; 2-sided P=.04). No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in terms of local control, distant metastasis, survival, or toxicity.


CONCLUSIONS
The current results demonstrated comparable efficacy in outcome and toxicity between surgical resection with radioactive seed implantation and SBRT for the treatment of single malignant lung nodules in patients who were not candidates for lobectomy/pneumonectomy.
Parashar
Bhupesh
B
Stich Radiation Center, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. bup9001@med.cornell.edu
Patel
Priti
P
Monni
Stefano
S
Singh
Prabhsimranjot
P
Sood
Nikki
N
Trichter
Samuel
S
Sabbas
Albert
A
Wernicke
A Gabriella
AG
Nori
Dattatreyudu
D
Chao
K S Clifford
KS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*