title: The potential role of brachytherapy in the irradiation of patients with lung cancer: a systematic review.
abstract: To review the use of brachytherapy as an adjuvant therapy to reduce recurrences after sublobar resections and as a palliation to patients with inoperable disease. Α review of all published studies was performed to identify the recurrence rate after brachytherapy adjuvant to sublobar resection and assess the palliation of symptoms and the complications of brachytherapy as a palliative treatment. Most of the studies that we found about brachytherapy as an adjuvant therapy to sublobar resection due to patient's poor cardiopulmonary reserve showed that brachytherapy offered low recurrence rate with low toxicity. Ten studies concerning palliative brachytherapy showed improvement of symptoms with good tolerance and good endoscopic response rates. Literature suggests that brachytherapy for inoperable symptomatic disease can be delivered for symptom improvement with acceptable toxicity. Brachytherapy as an alternative treatment option for lung cancer needs more investigation with more prospective trials.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department Radiology, Radiotherapy Unit, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Youroukou
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Third University Department of Ιnternal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gkiozos
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Medical Center of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kalaitzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Therapy, Agios Savvas Anticancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tsalafoutas
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Therapy, Agios Savvas Anticancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papalla
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Third University Department of Ιnternal Medicine, Sotiria Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charpidou
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department Radiology, Radiotherapy Unit, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece. vkouloul@ece.ntua.gr.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kouloulias
mesh_terms: D001918:Brachytherapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011379:Prognosis
keywords: Brachytherapy; Endobronchial; Interstitial; Lung cancer; Mesh; Palliation