Prophylactic cranial irradiation in lung cancer at Siriraj Hospital: A preliminary report.

ABSTRACT

Prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) given to 30 patients with well controlled primary lung cancer, was first done between 1980-1989. The PCI dose was 3600 cGy in 4 weeks, using Cobalt-60 teletherapy, 180 cGy/d. The patients tolerated the treatment very well without any serious side-effect. Fourteen patients survive after PCI (max. 6 years). No evidence of sign and symptom of brain dysfunction among patients who survive 3-6 years after PCI. Sixteen patients died from malignancy and only one patient (3%) showed evidence of brain metastasis. The author suggested that the PCI could reduce the evidence of brain metastasis in patient with lung cancer.