Onkologie. 2009:3(5):281-284

The role of radiotherapy in lung cancer treatment

Milada Zemanová

Onkologická klinika 1. LF UK a VFN v Praze

Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of lung cancer, whether designed as part of a potentially curative treatment plan or

intended as palliative therapy to suppress symptoms such as haemoptysis, dyspnoea due to bronchial obstruction, or chronic pain.

Radiotherapy, with either curative or palliative intent, should be used for the treatment of up to 76 % of all patients at some stage of

the disease, while, in the Czech Republic, only 20–24 % of lung cancer patients actually receive radiotherapy every year. Radiotherapy

is particularly useful in locally advanced, inoperable stage, but with the recent technological advances allowing for an extended therapeutic

window in terms of higher efficacy and lower toxicity, it has been indicated in earlier stages as well. To optimise the therapeutic

procedure in every patient, a radiotherapist should be a member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic-therapeutic team and take part in

decision making about the treatment strategy at the very beginning of the treatment.

Keywords: lung cancer, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy.

Published: December 1, 2009  Show citation