Clinical studies of different fractionation regimens have been evaluated for 56 cases with non-small cell lung cancer irradiated over 60 Gy from July, 1985 to December, 1989. Eleven to 19 patients were treated annually by one of four treatment regimens:(1) Conventional fractionation [C-f: 2 Gy/Fr, 5 Frs/W; 11 cases], (2) Boost therapy [B-t: 40-50Gy/4-5wks→4-5Gy/Fr, 2-3Frs/w;19 cases], (3) Hyperfractionation [H-f: 1.1-1.2Gy×2Frs/Day, 5 Days/W; 11 cases], (4) Dose increment [D-i: 1.8Gy→2.2 (2.4) Gy→2.6 (3.0) Gy/Fr, at intervals of 1 to 2 weeks, 5 Frs/W;15 cases].Theeffectiveness of these four regimens against primary tumors was analyzed for initial response, clinical course after radiotherapy, autopsy findings, radiation injuries and prognosis. The following results were obtained. 1) Complete response rate by D-i·EB-t·EC-f·EH-f relative to tumor size; and the regimens were 0%·E100%·E50% effective in 9 cases with tumors 3 cm or less in diameter, 29%·E20%·E12.5%·E0% in 27 cases with tumors 3.1 to 6 cm in diameter and 29%·E12.5%·E 0%·E0% in 20 cases with tumors 6.1 cm or larger. 2) Cases with tumors 3 cm or less in diameter treated by B-t or D-i showed no tumor regrowth during observation for 8 to 54 months. Moreover in cases with tumors 3.1 cm or larger, both regimens were superior to others in the periods required for regrowth (P<0.05-0.001). 3) One of 24 autopsy cases was free of cancerous cells in the primary site (Ef. 3). Five cases showed moderate radiation effects (Ef. 2). These 6 cases, including 4 with tumors over 3.1 cm in diameter, had been irradiated with B-t or D-i except for 1 with C-f. 4) Radiation injuries were within acceptable limits although augmentation of radiation pneumonitis had been incessantly taken by a feeling of unrest in cases irradiated with B-t and D-i. 5) Cumulative survival rate showed C-f·EB-t·ED-i > H-f (P<0.05). However, 9 cases that survived more than 1 year without local recurrence had been irradiated with B-t or D-i. The above results indicate that fractionation regimens with B-t or D-i are hopeful for control of primary tumors; resulting in improved prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer. We are thus going to start study of dose-increment radiotherapy combined with boost therapy.
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