[Radiotherapy in lung cancer. Mandatory or optional?]

The purpose of the paper is to outline the current treatment strategies in lung cancer focusing on the possibile role of radiotherapy. METHOD: It defines the place of radiotherapy at the main histological types and stadiums proposing indications according to evidence based medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy is mandatory in non-operated NSCLC st. I-II in perioperative or palliative management of superior sulcus tumours; in the combined modality treatment of limited SCLC and in postoperative adjustment of resected single brain metastasis of lung cancer. It is optional after NSCLC segmentectomy; in palliation or postoperative adjuvation of NSCLC st. III Radiotherapy can be chosen as a part of best supportive care at NSCLC st. IV extensive SCLC and in case of multiple brain or localised lytic bone metastases.