[Elective (prophylactic) brain irradiation in small cell lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy combined with surgery].

The incidence of brain metastases in small cell lung cancer patients in the group without prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) was compared with the incidence of brain secondaries after PCI. Out of 29 patients without brain irradiation 13 patients experienced brain metastases at 19 months (13/29). On the contrary, no one out of 17 patients who received PCI was found to have brain metastases at 4 years. The justification of prophylactic cranial irradiation is presented and criteria of patients selection are given. Elective brain irradiation is indicated exclusively in patients with "limited disease" achieving complete response.