Palliative radiotherapy in asymptomatic patients with locally advanced, unresectable, non-small cell lung cancer

Between 1983 and 1990, 332 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were referred to short-time, split-course palliative thoracic radiotherapy. The group consisted of patients with locally advanced (III degrees), unresectable cancer, not suitable for curative radiotherapy, asymptomatic or having only minimal symptoms related to intrathoracic tumor. The therapeutic plan involved two series of irradiation. Tumor dose delivered in each series was 20 Gy given in five daily fractions over five treatment days. There were four weeks interval between series. Of 332 patients initially qualified to thoracic radiotherapy only 170 patients received the treatment; the other 162 patients were not irradiated because of treatment refusal or logistic problems concerning therapy. They made the control group of the study, receiving the best possible symptomatic care. Twelve-month survivals in the radiotherapy and control groups were 32.4% and 9.3%, respectively; 24-month survivals 11.2% and 0%, respectively. Improvement of survival after palliative thoracic radiotherapy was observed only in patients with clinical stage IIIA and Karnofsky's performance status (KPS) > or = 70.