Elective whole lung irradiation in the treatment of osteogenic sarcoma

Fifty-three patients with histologically confirmed osteogenic sarcoma of bone and no clinical evidence of pulmonary metastases were divided into two equivalent groups: one received elective pulmonary irradiation of 1500 rads administered to both lung fields, and the other acted as a control group. There were no significant differences in either survival probabilities or the interval between treatment and the development of pulmonary metastases. Therefore, elective whole lung irradiation so administered was not found to be of value as a prophylactic measure in the treatment of osteogenic sarcoma. There were no recognized untoward reactions to the pulmonary irradiation.