[Considerations on the radiological treatment of inoperable bronchogenic carcinomas or recurrences after surgical intervention]

Abstract

From 1964 to 1977, 315 carcinomas of the bronchus either inoperable or recurring following surgery were treated by radiotherapy using high energy machines (telecobalt therapy and/or Betatron: X-rays or electrons). 116 patients (36.8%) had well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas, 70 (22.2%) had undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinomas, 97 (30.8%) had small-cell anaplasic carcinomas, and 32 patients (10.2%) had adenocarcinomas or other types of bronchial carcinoma. 199 patients (63.2%) were treated exclusively by radiotherapy and 116 (36.8%) by surgery followed by radiotherapy: 28 had exploratory thoracotomies, 73 curative resections and 15 palliative resections. At the end of irradiation treatment 140 patients (44.5%) showed a subjective and objective (clinical and radiological) improvement, whereas 111 patients, (35.2%) although chest X-rays showed no radiological improvement, had a subjective response; 64 patients (20.3%) showed deterioration. 33.5% of the patients (88/263) lived at least 1 year after completion of radiotherapy: in 25.9% (42/162) the treatment was exclusively radiotherapy and 45.5% (46/101) underwent irradiation after surgery. 12.4% (31/249) of the patients were alive 2 years after completion of irradiation and 5.4% (11/203) after 5 years.