Results of telecobalt irradiation of bronchial carcinoma

Among 731 patients with a bronchial carcinoma were 43.1% squamous-cell carcinomas, 12.7% undifferentiated polymorphic-cell carcinomas, 13.6% undifferentiated small cell carcinomas, 2.3% adenocarcinomas; 4.4% of the tumors could not be differentiated exactly and in 23.8% there was no histological verification. The average survival time of all patients who died within the period of the report is 8.4 months, the survival rate was 3.2% for all patients and 4.3% for curatively irradiated patients after 5 years. The advantages of the split-course irradiation are discussed. In this group of treatment (2.2 C/kg total tumor dose) the highest average survival time was achieved with 12.2 months. The survival rates in the first year after treatment were significantly better than with an irradiation with 1.55 C/kg in a series. With the therapy of bronchial carcinoma practised at present an increase of success cannot be expected, an early recognition by the formation of risk groups could lead to better results of treatment only. (author)