Feasibility of curative radiotherapy with a concomitant boost technique in 33 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Thirty-three patients with an inoperable NSCLC were treated with a dose of 60 Gy/20 fractions/25 days, using a concomitant boost technique. A dose of 40 Gy/2 Gy/25 days was given to the tumor area and a part (15 patients) or the whole (18 patients) mediastinum. During each session a simultaneous boost to the tumor of 1 Gy was administered. Moderate acute oesophageal toxicity was observed in 7/33 patients (22%). One out of 33 patients developed serious late oesophageal toxicity. A correlation between the oesophageal toxicity, absorbed oesophageal dose of irradiation and length of the elective field was observed. Five out of 33 patients developed subacute radiation pneumonitis grade 2 or 3. In selected patients with inoperable NSCLC radiotherapy, with a dose of 60 Gy/20 fractions/25 days, using a concomitant technique is feasible.