Morbidity of cranial relapse in small cell lung cancer and the impact of radiation therapy

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · Cancer Treat. Rep.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5269147

Lucas, C F; Robinson, B; Hoskin, P J; Yarnold, J R; Smith, I E; Ford, H T

Thirty-nine of 225 patients with small cell lung cancer developed brain metastases after the initiation of chemotherapy. Treatment with high-dose dexamethasone in all 39 patients and cranial irradiation in 32 patients resulted in a complete neurological recovery in only eight of 39 patients (20%). Twenty-one of 39 patients (53%) failed to derive lasting benefit from their palliative treatment. Thirteen of 24 patients with limited disease with cranial relapse had no clinical evidence of other distant metastases prior to death and in these patients the CNS disease was an important cause of morbidity. On the basis of this study, it appears that palliative treatment of overt cranial metastases is relatively unsuccessful and that patients with limited disease represent a group with much to gain from effective prophylactic cranial irradiation.

• Research Organization: Royal Marsden Hospital, Surrey, England
• OSTI ID: 5269147
• Journal Information: Cancer Treat. Rep.; (United States), Journal Name: Cancer Treat. Rep.; (United States) Vol. 5; ISSN CTRRD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL HORMONES
BODY
BRAIN
CARCINOMAS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DEXAMETHASONE
DISEASES
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
IRRADIATION
KETONES
LUNGS
MEDICINE
METASTASES
NEOPLASMS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PARTIAL BODY IRRADIATION
PATIENTS
PREGNANES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
THERAPY