OVERVIEW
To analyze the long-term effects of treatment with an operation + postoperative irradiation (A group) and an operation+intraoperative radiotherapy+postoperative irradiation (B group) in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Through a prospective randomized clinical trial, a total of 154 patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma were divided into two groups of 77 cases. Among the 154 cases, there were 134 squamous carcinomas, 17 adenocarcinomas and 3 adeno-squamous carcinomas. TNM staging: there were 17 in StageⅠ, 76 in Stage Ⅱ and 61 in Stage Ⅲ. A dosage of 15~25 Gy IORT, energy 9~16 MeV electrons, was delivered to the tumors. The doses given were 40~60 Gy postoperation.
RESULTS
The local control rates in A and B groups were 49.4% and 62.3% respectively (P<0.05). The survivals at 3, 5 and 7 years for group A were 40.3%, 27.3%, and 5.2% and for group B 44.2%, 28.6% and 6.5% (P>0.05). There were 16 deaths from radiotherapy complications, with 2 cases in group A and 14 in group B.
CONCLUSION
IORT+postoperative irradiation can enhance the local control rate of non-small cell lung cancer patients and reduce the recurrent rates, but it can not improve long-term survival.