Thermoradiotherapy in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

Shinn, Kyung Sub; Choi, Ihl Bohng; Kim, In Ah; Choi, Byung Ok; Jang, Jl Young; Kay, Chul Seung

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the treatment results of locally advanced nonsmallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient, we treated those paients with regional hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy. And we conducted a retrospective analysis of the results.
METHODS
AND MATERIALS: Thirty two nonsmall cell lung cancer patients treated at the Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Mary's hospital. Catholic University Medical College were the base of this analysis. Fourteen patients of above them were treated with hyperthermia and radiotherapy of more than 3000 cGy in radiation dose. Radiofrequency capacitive hyperthermia was administered twice weekly, immediately after radiotherapy. Total sessions of hyperthermia ranged from 3 to 13 times (mean 7,8). Eighteen patient received an external radiation therapy alone. Median radiation dose was 5580 cGy (range, 3000-7000 cGy) in fraction of 180-300 cGy, 5 fractions per week.
RESULTS
The results of themoradiotherapy group (HTRT group) were compared with radiation alone group (RT group). There were no complete response (CR) and 12 partial responses (PR) (CR rate 0%, response rate 85.7%) in HTRT group, whereas there were 2 CRs, 8 PRs and 8 no responses (CR rate 11.1%, response rate 55.6%) in RT group. There was significant differece in local response rate of the tumors between RT group and HTRT group (p<0.05). Overall 2 year survival rate and mean survival were 7.1% and 10.5 months for HTRT group, and 0% 8.1 months for RT group. However, by the number of hyperthermia, in cases with more than or equal to 10 sessions of hyperthermia, there were significant improvement in 2 year survival rate and mean survival (40.0% and 18.2 months) compared with those in cases with less than 10 sessions of hyperhtemia (7.4% and 7.4 months) (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Thermoradiotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC patients increased their response rate but not 2 year survival and mean survival, therefore thermoradiotherpy with enough number of hyperthermia is suggested that may be one of the effective palliative treatments of those patients. And in cases with more than 10 sessions of hyperthermai, there showed improved 2 year survival rate and mean survival. But the number of the cases was small, further study in this aspect is required.