Irradiation of bronchial carcinoma -II Pattern of spread and potential for prophylactic irradiation

Ritsuko Komaki, James D. Cox, Donald R. Eisert

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

From January 1971 through June 1975, 197 patients who had inoperable or unresectable carcinoma of the lung without evidence of distant spread, received definitive irradiation with curative intent. The pattern of spread in these patients is analyzed according to the site and timing of the first new manifestation of disease after initiation of irradiation. Nineteen patients are still free of evidence of cancer. Equal proportions of the remaining 178 patients failed locally or at distant sites. The clinical diagnosis of metastasis was made most frequently in the ipsilateral or contralateral lung, bones, brain and liver. Aggressive irradiation of brain metastases can prolong useful life substantially. Survival should improve by prevention of the clinical expression of brain metastases by irradiation when they still are subclinical. Because of the high risk of metastasis and the potential to increase survival, prophylactic irradiation to the entire thorax and the liver could be studied for bronchial carcinoma of all cell types.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)441-446
Number of pages6
JournalInternational journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics
Volume2
Issue number5-6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1977

Keywords

  • Lung neoplasms
  • Metastasis
  • Prophylactic irradiation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Oncology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cancer Research

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Irradiation of bronchial carcinoma -II Pattern of spread and potential for prophylactic irradiation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this