Radiotherapy for bronchogenic carcinoma

Treatment of carcinoma of the lung to cure or even to prolong survival time to a satisfactory degree is not yet a reality. For squamous cell carcinoma confined to the lung, radical surgery offers the best possibility of cure. When surgery is not feasible in such a case for other than technical reasons (eg, poor general condition of the patient), radical (megavoltage) radiotherapy offers a good possibility of cure. For anaplastic or oat cell carcinoma confined to the lung, cure by surgery or radiotherapy is less likely and there is little advantage of one or the other of these modalities. Once metastasis has occurred, surgery is largely precluded and radiotherapy becomes a measure of last resort that offers a good possibility of relief of distressing symptoms and some hope of prolonging worthwhile life.