Safety and Efficacy of Carbon-ion Radiotherapy Alone for Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Background/aim: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) alone for Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients and methods: Data of 65 patients (median age=73 years) with Stage III NSCLC who underwent CIRT alone in the QST Hospital, Chiba, Japan, between 1997 and 2015 were retrospectively analysed. The median dose was 72.0 Gy (relative biological effectiveness).

Results: The median follow-up was 27.6 months (range=1.6-207.7 months). Two-year local control, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were 73.9%, 38.6%, and 54.9%, respectively. Overall, 1 (2%), 4 (6%), and 1 (2%) patient developed Grade 4 (mediastinal haemorrhage), Grade 3 (radiation pneumonitis), and Grade 3 (bronchial fistula) toxicities, respectively. On univariate analysis, clinical T and N stage and CIRT timing were significant predictors of PFS and OS; clinical target volume was a significant predictor of PFS.

Conclusion: CIRT alone is effective with acceptable toxicity for Stage III NSCLC.

Keywords: Carbon-ion radiotherapy; effectiveness; non-small-cell lung cancer; stage III; toxicity.