Apical lung carcinoma

During the period 1955 to 1975, 63 consecutive cases of apical lung carcinoma were treated in the Radiation Therapy Division of the University of Michigan Medical Center (UMMC). Supervoltage external radiation alone or combination of radiation and surgery were the main modalities of treatment used in these patients. Our results show 27.9% and 20.9% 3 and 5 years actuarial survival, respectively, in patients who received 5000 to 6000 cGy (rad) of radiation alone. Survival was better in T2 lesions (24.9%) as compared with T3 lesions (7.9%) and in those patients who had no regional adenopathy (30.2% in T2, N0 lesions and 11.6% in T3, N0 lesions). Local osseous and nervous extensions also carried poor prognosis. The results with preoperative irradiation were no better than radiation therapy alone.