[Results of radiotherapy of lung cancer in women]

Radiation therapy was provided to 38 (11.5%) of 331 lung cancer female patients at the N. N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, USSR Ministry of Health. The combination of radiation- and chemotherapy was used in 9 patients. The Rokus, Rad gamma-therapeutic units or a linear accelerator were used for radiation therapy. Daily single focal doses were 1.2-2.0 Gy, the summary dose was 40-60 Gy. Two-five irradiation fields with the choice of optimum conditions on a computer using the linear programming method were used. The lymph outflow tracts were irradiated from isolated fields and in central lung cancer the tumor and mediastinal region (the root, bifurcation and paratracheal lymph nodes on the affected side) were incorporated in the irradiated zone. Five women received split course irradiation. An analysis of the long-term results of conservative therapy of lung cancer in women has shown that radiation therapy or its combination with chemotherapy is the most effective. These results were slightly better than those in men.