Radiation pneumonitis: experience following a large single dose of radiation. [Thoracic or whole-body irradiation; 35 MeV linear accelerator or /sup 60/Co. gamma. rays]

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-3016(78)90002-0· OSTI ID:6503816

Fryer, C J.H.; Fitzpatrick, P J; Rider, W D; Poon, P

The acute radiation pneumonitis syndrome of increasing cough with dyspnea and characteristic radiographic changes developed in 44 of 245 patients (17.5%) who were treated with a single large dose of radiation. The median onset was 100 days and proved fatal within 2 weeks in 84% of patients. Because these patients with advanced cancer had a median survival of 126 days, the incidence was calculated by the actuarial method. This was 83.5% and 29% for single uncorrected doses of 1000 and 800 rad: the two standard deviations were 20% and 14%. The risk increased with previous irradiation or intrathoracic tumor. Steroids had no obvious protective effect, but in three patients withdrawal of the drug apparently precipitated the syndrome. Vigorous supportive treatment with antibiotics and prednisone reversed the process in three cases. Radiotolerance of the lung is the limiting factor in using radiation as a systematic treatment for cancer.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Toronto
• OSTI ID: 6503816
• Journal Information: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 4:11/12; ISSN IOBPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560151* -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACCELERATORS
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANTIBIOTICS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CHEST
COBALT 60
COBALT ISOTOPES
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY RANGE
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
GAMMA RADIATION
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IRRADIATION
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KETONES
LINEAR ACCELERATORS
LUNGS
MEDICINE
MEV RANGE
MEV RANGE 10-100
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PARTIAL BODY IRRADIATION
PATIENTS
PNEUMONITIS
POST-IRRADIATION THERAPY
PREDNISONE
PREGNANES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SIDE EFFECTS
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
THERAPY
WHOLE-BODY IRRADIATION
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES