Survival of lung cancer increases by 'precision radiotherapy "

Survival of lung cancer increases by 'precision radiotherapy "


Patients with lung cancer can live longer on average 10 months with a new irradiation method. In this irradiation technique - called stereotactic radiotherapy - the tumors are addressed with high-dose, precisely targeted radiation. The survival rates were announced Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at the World Lung Conference, by researchers at VU University Medical Center.

Video: Stereotactic radiotherapy VU University Medical Center

These results are important because only 1 in 3 cancer patients 75 years or older can operate, and conventional radiotherapy for non-operable group usually was pushed aside as too onerous. Thus, in practice 40% of these patients actually reported directly. This is often not necessary.

Prof. Dr. Suresh Senan and colleagues at VU University Medical Center for their study looked at data from the Dutch Cancer. The application of radiotherapy in the period between 2001 and 2009 increased from 31.2% to 37.7%, and the survival of these patients increased nearly 10 months, from 16.8 to 26.1 months.

"The difficult group of patients aged 75 years or older, will now view an additional treatment option: the stereotactic 'precision radiotherapy," said Professor Senan. "This is good news both for those who do not, and for those who can be operated."

Drs. Linssen cilia of Lung Cancer Information Center also responds positively to the expansion of the options. They called for appropriate information about the differences in survival and complications in surgery or radiation, so that all patients with yourself to determine what the best option for them.