Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-5-11
pubmed:abstractText
The purpose of this study as to determine the impact of overall treatment time on long-term survival after high-dose radiation therapy alone for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Between 1978 and 1990, 229 patients with stage I-III disease and Karnofsky Performance Scores of 80-100 received a conventionally fractionated total dose of 70 Gy through a split-course technique. After a first treatment course of 40 or 50 Gy, a restaging was performed and only patients without any contraindications, such as newly diagnosed distant metastases or serious deterioration of performance status, were given a second course. In 83% of patients this break lasted for 4-6 weeks. Overall treatment time ranged between 7 and 24 weeks (median 12 weeks). Median follow-up time was 6.6 years (range 4.0-9.3 years). Actuarial overall survival rates at 2 and 5 years were 28% and 7% respectively. Complete radiological tumor response was observed in 31% of patients, and was found to be the strongest positive predictor of survival with 2- and 5-year rates of 50% and 12% respectively compared with 17% and 4% for patients without complete response. Treatment duration was not found to be a significant prognostic factor in univariate or multivariate analysis. For overall treatment times of 7-11 weeks (n = 50), 12 weeks (n = 79) and > 12 weeks (n = 100), 5-year survival was 4%, 6%, and 8%, respectively (p = 0.6). To conclude, in our experience and in contrast to other studies, prolonged overall treatment times in radiation therapy alone for inoperable NSCLC had no negative impact on long-term survival. It is hypothesized that accelerated tumor cell repopulation is absent in a significant number of these patients with the time-factor playing no apparent role for outcome of treatment.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0284-186X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
37
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
101-5
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-5-12
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
High-dose radiation therapy alone for inoperable non-small cell lung cancer--experience with prolonged overall treatment times.
pubmed:affiliation
Hermann-Holthusen-Institute of Radiotherapy at St. George Hospital, Hamburg, Germany.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article