Radiation pneumonitis during eleven years

Radiation pneumonitis during 11 years occurred by radiation treatment for cancer of lung, breast and esophagus with 6 MeV Linac were investigated. Where chest roentgenograms were available to follow up, 45.5% (80 of 176 patients) had radiation pneumonitis. The factors of pneumonitis were evaluated in radiation dose, treatment time, field size, age, sex and months after irradiation. Fifty-nine of 80 patients had no subjective symptoms. Prohylactic therapy with antiinflammatory agents significantly reduced the frequency and severity of radiation pneumonitis. Obviously the best prophylaxis is carefully directed radiation beams, keeping the volume of high dose as small as possible. (author)