title: The efficacy of external beam radiotherapy for airway obstruction in lung cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in lung cancer patients who suffer from airway obstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical data of 95 patients with a lung mass that obstructed the airway and received EBRT for it were analyzed. Fifty-nine patients (62.1%) had non-small cell lung cancer and 36 patients (37.9%) had small cell lung cancer. Radiotherapy was given at 8 to 45 Gy (median, 30 Gy) in 1 to 15 fractions (median, 10 fractions). The response to EBRT was assessed through changes in radiographic findings and/or subjective symptoms between before and after EBRT. The median follow-up duration was 124 days. The primary end point was the airway-obstruction resolving rate after EBRT. The secondary end points were patient survival and toxic effects of EBRT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement of airway obstruction after EBRT on chest X-ray was achieved in 75 of 95 patients (78.9%). The median time for resolving the radiologic findings and/or symptoms of airway obstruction after EBRT was 7 days (range, 1 to 76 days). The 1-year survival rate was significantly higher in responders than non-responders (12.5% vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001). The biologically effective dose of ≥ 39 Gyα/β=10 (p < 0.01) and the longest obstructive lesion of < 6 cm (p=0.04) were significantly associated with a good response to EBRT in resolving the airway obstruction. No one had grade 3 or higher acute and chronic toxicities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EBRT is an effective treatment in relieving airway obstruction without severe toxicities in lung cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hoon-Kyo
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Byoung Yong
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Airway obstruction; Lung neoplasm; Radiotherapy