Radiotherapy in lung cancer

Radiotherapy is an important modality in the treatment of lung cancer. In Australia, up to 76% of patients have an indication for radiotherapy at diagnosis. This includes curative radiotherapy for patients with inoperable stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer, and in combination with chemotherapy, for patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer and limited stage small cell lung cancer. There are challenges in delivering curative radiotherapy to this group of patients, many of whom have smoking-related comorbidities. However, newer technologies allow selection of appropriate patients for treatment, improve identification of the tumour, individualise radiotherapy treatment according to patient specific motion and reduce normal tissue toxicities. Image guided radiotherapy is increasingly becoming the standard of care, whereby the tumour position is confirmed on cone-beam CT performed on the linear accelerator prior to treatment. Intensity modulated radiotherapy is improving dose conformality and avoidance of normal tissue structures. Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy is currently being evaluated as a treatment option for patients with inoperable stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Radiotherapy is also an important palliative treatment for lung cancer, with well-established indications for palliation of thoracic symptoms such as airway obstruction, chest pain, cough and haemoptysis. Bone and brain metastases are common in lung cancer and radiotherapy remains the prime modality for alleviating symptoms from these. Multidisciplinary discussion of lung cancer patients is essential to ensure that appropriate patients receive the evidence-based benefits of radiotherapy.