Clinical analysis of whole body gamma knife conformal radiotherapy for 169 patients with non-small cell lung cancer / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects and complications of whole body gamma knife conformal radiotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).Methods 169 patients with NSCLC received whole body gamma knife conformal radiotherapy.Total dose,fractions,and radiation time were determined based on disease course,tumor location,tumor features and tumor volume,etc.Small target volume(tumor size less than 3cm in diameter) received 5-10Gy each time,40-50Gy in 4-10 fractions;moderate target volume(tumor size 3cm-5cm in diameter) received 4-8Gy each time,48-56Gy in 4-16 fractions;and big target volume(tumor size more than 5cm in diameter) received 3-4Gy per time,40Gy in 10-14 fractions and followed by 10-30Gy using reduced fields.Results Of 269 tumors in 169 patients,complete response(CR) rate,partial response(PR) rate,and rate of no change(NC) were 41.6%(112/269),44.6%(120/269) and 13.8%(37/269),respectively.Overall response rate(CR+PR) was 86.2%(232/269),with 1-year local control rate of 92.3%.1-year and 2-year survival rate was 75.1% and 46.2%,respectively,with median survival time of 19 months.The incidence of Grade 1,2 and Grade 3 radiation pneumonia was 15.4% and 3.1%,respectively.Conclusions With minor adverse effects,whole body gamma knife conformal radiotherapy may have short-term therapeutic effects for NSCLC patients with amelioration of disease symptoms,obvious elevation of tumor local control rate,a raise of the survival rate,and improvement of life quality.