Results of a pilot study of wide field radiotherapy in the treatment of oat cell carcinoma of the bronchus.

Twenty-two patients suffering from oat-cell carcinoma of the bronchus were treated by various forms of wide field radiation. Ten patients were treated with high dose upper half body radiation, followed by lower half body radiation and radiation to the primary. Four patients were given high dose half body radiation for metastases. Two patients received low dose total body radiation after radiotherapy to the primary. Two patients received fractionated total body radiation for metastatic disease. The median survival was 20 weeks for all cases. For those receiving radical therapy, the median survival was 22 weeks. The median survival was 10 weeks in those cases treated for metastatic disease. Major toxicity included dryness of the mouth in one case, anaemia, acute pulmonary distress following high dose upper half body radiation and acute radiation pneumonitis. There was inadequate local control in nine cases which could be improved by increasing the radiation dose to the primary. High dose half body radiation may well delay the onset of metastases. Low dose total body radiation has some palliative effect.