PROTON THERAPY AND CHEMOTHERAPY FOR SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Concurrent chemo and radiotherapy is the standard of care in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, treatment with conventional x-ray therapy is associated with high toxicity rates, particularly acute esophagitis and pneumonitis.

An UFPTI experience presented the outcomes of the first known series of 6 limited-stage SCLC patients treated with proton therapy and chemotherapy. A dosimetric comparison of lung and esophageal doses with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was also elaborated.

In this small series of SCLC patients treated with proton therapy with radical intent, treatment was well tolerated with no cases of acute esophagitis or pneumonitis. The dosimetric comparison showed a better sparing of lungs and esophagus with proton therapy, which merits further investigation as a method of reducing the toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy.