394. Oncology (Williston Park). 1994 Jun;8(6):89-106; discussion 100, 103-4.
The pulmonary effects of thoracic irradiation.
Marks LB(1).
Author information:
(1)Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham,
North Carolina.
Radiation-induced pulmonary injury is common following treatment for a variety of
tumors in and around the thorax. While symptomatic injury is unusual, subclinical
injury identified by formal pulmonary function tests and/or radiographs is very
common. In this article, the radiologic, symptomatic, and physiologic pulmonary
effects of whole and partial thoracic irradiation are summarized from the animal
and human data available. The risk of developing significant lung injury appears
to be most dependent upon the radiation dose and volume of lung irradiated.
Additional studies are needed to develop algorithms to predict the physiologic
consequences of a proposed radiation treatment program such that reasonable
risk-benefit assessments can be made. This may lead to improvements in the
therapeutic ratios that facilitate dose escalation and improve local tumor
control and cure rates.
PMID: 8074988 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]