[Use of intraluminal brachytherapy for treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer in cases of local failure after teleradiotherapy].

Remote afterloading high-dose-rate brachytherapy was used for the treatment in 38 patients with non-small cell lung cancer local failure after previous teleradiotherapy. The high dose unit we used is called microSelectron HDR. A dose of 18 Gy or 22.5 Gy was delivered in three fractions repeated weekly. Before treatment, symptomatic occlusions were seen in all patients. After treatment palliative improvement was seen in 30 patients (78.9%). The average follow up time was 7.2 months and range from 3 to 17. Median response time was 6.8 months. 12 patients died meanwhile. The procedure has been well tolerated with low toxicity. We conclude that palliative endobronchial high dose rate brachytherapy is a useful palliative modality in patients with recurrent endobronchial symptomatic carcinoma.