[Is there an age limit in radiation treatment of bronchial cancer?]

In order to evaluate the possibility of an intensive radiotherapy of lung cancer in patients 70 years or older we compared the treatment results of 375 such patients with those, which we achieved in younger patients with the same kind of treatment. In non-small cell lung cancer radiation treatment with curative intent yielded at least equally good results for ages 70-75 years. Patients older than 75 years fared badly, however. After palliative irradiation the results are just as good as those in younger patients, even if the patients are older than 80 years.