[The combined treatment of lung cancer with one-time large-fraction preoperative irradiation].

A procedure of preoperative large single dose (7.5 Gy) irradiation of lung cancer was developed. Irradiation field included regional lymph node-bearing areas. Treatment was employed in 93 lung cancer patients. Postoperative complication and lethality rates were 14 and 2.2%, respectively. Patients presenting with metastases in the regional lymph nodes were postoperatively irradiated to the lung hilus and mediastinum (30 Gy in 10 fractions). The treatment was well tolerated. Eighty-eight patients were followed, of whom 43.3% survived 3 years. The above modality assured ablastics of surgery and allowed to minimize duration of preoperative radiotherapy.