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Postoperative Radiotherapy for Non-Small Cell Carcinoma

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Advances in Radiation Oncology in Lung Cancer

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Radiat Oncol))

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Abstract

The role of post-operative radiotherapy (PORT) in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. Currently, the available evidence suggests that PORT is indicated for stage II and III (node-positive) NSCLC, but not for stage I NSCLC. However, it is still disputed in which cases patterns of failure necessitate further treatment following surgery, and if it is warranted, the question becomes whether to do radiotherapy instead of or with (before, during, or after) chemotherapy. Study of PORT is further complicated by the improvement of radiotherapy techniques in recent decades, and the shortage of well-defined prospective randomized trials since their implementation. Advances in technology have allowed more precise administration of higher doses of radiation with lower exposure of healthy tissues, resulting in greater local control and lower treatment-related toxicities. Weighing the benefits and risks to determine the overall usefulness of PORT is difficult and will require future studies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Mitchell Machtay

  2. Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Ellen Kim

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  1. Ellen Kim
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  2. Mitchell Machtay
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Correspondence to Mitchell Machtay .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Lung Diseases, Institutski put 4, Sremska Kamenica, 21204, Serbia

    Branislav Jeremic

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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kim, E., Machtay, M. (2011). Postoperative Radiotherapy for Non-Small Cell Carcinoma. In: Jeremic, B. (eds) Advances in Radiation Oncology in Lung Cancer. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2011_315

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2011_315

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-19924-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-19925-7

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