Radiation Pneumonitis After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Early Stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

With the development of radiation technology, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been widely used in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is not only the standard therapy for medically inoperable early-stage NSCLC, but also one of the therapies for operable early-stage NSCLC. Radiation pneumonitis (RP) is one of the most common adverse effects after SBRT, it may reduce the patients’ quality of life, even cause treatment failure. Therefore, in order to improve the patients’ quality of life and enhance local control rate of tumor, it is important to reduce the risk of RP. The unique fractionation schemes and the dose distribution of SBRT make it not only different from conventional fraction radiation therapy in treatment outcomes, but also in the incidence of radiation pneumonitis. This article reviews the applying of SBRT for early stage NSCLC, the incidence of radiation pneumonitis, radiological appearance after SBRT and predictive factors.

DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2014.04.11