title: Long-term results of curative intraluminal high dose rate brachytherapy for endobronchial carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment strategy of central lung tumors is not established. Intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) is widely used for palliative treatment of endobronchial tumors, however, it is also a promising option for curative treatment with limited data. This study evaluates the results after ILBT for endobronchial carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen-endobronchial carcinoma of 13 patients treated with ILBT in curative intent for 2000 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. ILBT using high dose rate 192 iridium thin wire system was performed with 5 Gy/fraction at mucosal surface. The patient age ranged from 57 to 82 years old with median 75 years old. The 16 lesions consisted of 13 central endobronchial cancers including 7 roentgenographically occult lung cancers and 3 of tracheal cancers. Of them, 10 lesions were treated with ILBT of median 20 Gy combined with external beam radiation therapy of median 45 Gy and 6 lesions were treated with ILBT alone of median 25 Gy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up time was 32.5 months. Two-year survival rate and local control rate were 92.3% and 86.2%, respectively. Local recurrences were observed in 2 lesions. Three patients died due to lung cancer (1 patient) and intercurrent disease (2 patients). Complications greater than grade 2 were not observed except for one grade 3 dyspnea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ILBT combined with or without EBRT might be a curative treatment option in inoperable endobronchial carcinoma patients with tolerable complication.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan. kawa@gunma-u.ac.jp
authors: Hidemasa
authors: H
authors: Kawamura
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Ebara
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Katoh
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Tamaki
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Hideyuki
authors: H
authors: Sakurai
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002283:Carcinoma, Bronchogenic / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D007496:Iridium Radioisotopes