[Possibilities of cobalt therapy in bronchopulmonary cancer]

Cobaltotherapy was applied in 194 cases of bronchopulmonary cancer in the Oncologic Institute of Cluj-Napoca, during the 1967--1974 period. The mean survial was of 15 months, the results being influenced by the histologic type and locoregional extent apraised on the basis of the TNM classification proposed by the American Joint Committe for Cancer Staging and End Result Reporting. The mean survival after irradiation was of 9.7% and 5.1% at 3 and 5 years respectively. Standardization of the cases according to the TNM criteria showed the advanced stage of the patients referred for radiotherapy, proving a useful tool for establishing the prognosis and therapeutical indications. Next to the histological type and TNM category, the efficiency of radiotherapy is also influenced by the size and shape of the tumor, which conditions the irradiation technique. The central tumours or those of the upper lobes may be irradiated by small 150 cm2 beams and are the only ones that benefit by radical radiotherapy, the survival rate at 2 and 5 years being 12.3% and 7.6% respectively. In all the other cases the prognosis is more reserved, suggesting the necessity of associating chemotherapy or immunotherapy for improving the results.