Three-year results of surgical and combined treatment of lung cancer with a preoperative radiotherapy (From the materials of the 3-9.1.1 project ''Combined treatment - radiotherapy and radical surgery - of lung cancer'' in some CMEA member countries)

An analysis of immediate results of clinical material is given accumulated by the participants of the joint investigation in some CMEA member countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, USSR, Czechoslovakia) with the aim of studying the efficacy of one of the variants of combined treatment of patients with differentiated forms of lung cancer. 286 patients received combined treatment, 231 patients (control group) were treated surgically. It is concluded that preoperative radiotherapy using the method of the intensive concentrated course does not complicate the surgery itself and is not reflected in the nature and incidence of intraoperative complications. However, in combination with the subsequent surgical intervention, it significantly increases the number of postoperative complications, particularly those of a purulent nature (bronchial fistula, intrapleural empyema) and also lethality. The difference between the groups in this respect is particularly significant at Stage III of the disease. Late results were studied in 379 patients (in 221 of them after a combined treatment and in 158 after surgical treatment). 76.5, 49.4 and 34.48% (combined treatment) and 77.2, 41,2 and 2o.7% (surgery), survived for more than 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The differences between the groups in favor of the combined treatment are due to patients with Stage III planocellular carcinoma. (author)