Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for medically inoperable early stage lung cancer: early outcomes

OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the clinical outcome and safety of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for medically inoperable stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma. DESIGN. Retrospective case series. SETTING. Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS. All patients with medically inoperable stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma receiving stereotactic ablative radiotherapy since its establishment in 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Disease control rate, overall survival, and treatment toxicities. RESULTS. Sixteen stage I non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients underwent the procedure from June 2008 to November 2011. The median patient age was 82 years and the majority (81%) had moderate-to-severe co-morbidity based on the Adult Comorbidity Evaluation 27 index. With a median follow-up of 22 months, the 2-year primary tumour control rate, disease-free survival and overall survival rates were 91%, 71% and 87%, respectively. No grade 3 (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) or higher treatment-related complications were reported. CONCLUSION. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy can achieve a high degree of local control safely in medically inoperable patients with early lung cancer.