Tumours of the thorax

Chapter 25 Tumours of the thorax

Lung cancer

Lung cancer remains the second most common cancer and is fatal in 85–90% of cases. This was a rare disease at the beginning of the twentieth century but, due to the explosion of smoking around the World War II, the incidence dramatically increased. By 1950, 80% of men and 40% of women smoked. During the early 1960s, the danger of tobacco was identified and, since the 1970s, the rates of smoking in men have reduced.

Unfortunately, due to a lag period until the development of cancer, the incidence of lung cancer today reflects smoking habits of the population 20 years previously. The incidence of lung cancer in men has been falling since 1990 but this is not the case in eastern European countries, in undeveloped countries or in women. Unfortunately, the incidence of female lung cancer is expected to increase until 2015 when it will almost equal rates in men.

Cigarette smoking accounts for 85–90% of cases. However, only 10–15% of smokers eventually develop lung cancer. There is probably interplay between genetic susceptibility of the disease and environmental factors such as air pollution and radon.

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Patients presenting with the above symptoms require a chest x-ray. A lateral view may be helpful. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest and upper abdomen is recommended before bronchoscopy as peripheral tumours will not be reached by bronchoscopy and, in these cases, a CT-guided biopsy is required for histological diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to determine if there are direct invasion structures contraindicating surgery but is not superior to CT in the detection of mediastinal disease (Table 25.1).

Table 25.1 Assessment of patients with lung cancer

History and examination including performance status and weight lossFBC, U&E, glucose, calcium, LFTChest x-ray and lateralBronchoscopy for histological/cytological diagnosis and to assess extent of the lesionCT of chest and upper abdomenAdditional tests are required depending on symptoms and the results of the above

Additional staging if considering surgery:

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

The management of NSCLC

Radical radiotherapy

Thoracic radiotherapy is particularly challenging as the tumour is a moving target within an area surrounded by critical and radiosensitive tissues, such as lung parenchyma and spinal cord. In addition, the characteristics of the beam are altered as the beam passes through lung tissue. Careful planning is required to take these challenges into account (Table 25.5).

Table 25.5 Indications for radical radiotherapy

Stage 1&2 NSCLC – medically inoperableTumour volume approximately 5   cmFEV>1; FVC>1.5Weight loss <10%Positive margins postoperativelyHeavy N2 disease postoperatively (individual patient basis)Wedge resectionStage 3 disease sufficiently downstaged to be included in a radical volume
Target volume

Traditionally, ‘elective nodal irradiation’ was suggested for early stage NSCLC. Using this technique, the field extends from 5 to 8   cm below the carina, includes the entire mediastinum and bilateral hilar and extends superiorly to include the bilateral supraclavicular fossae. Such fields result in significant toxicity that limits the total dose deliverable. There is no evidence that this technique is superior to ‘involved field only’ techniques. The regional nodal recurrence with both is low, local recurrence more likely and the adoption of ‘involved field only’ treatment allows the possibility of dose escalation.

The ‘involved field only’ technique requires the treatment to be CT planned. The gross tumour volume (GTV) should be defined as all radiologically demonstrable tumour and any nodes over 1   cm in size. A planning target volume of GTV plus 1.5   cm in the lateral dimension and 2   cm vertical margin should be applied.

The type of plan created depends on the site of the tumour, whether central or peripheral. If the patient has undergone pneumonectomy, surgical clips may define the clinical target volume. It is important to ensure that beams pass through the resected space and spare the remaining contralateral lung (Figure evolves 25.2 and 25.3 image).

Usually, three fields are required for optimum dose distribution but, occasionally, if there is a small peripheral tumour, wedged opposed oblique fields may be used (Figure evolve 25.4 image).

Depth dose tables estimating the dose at each point in tissue have been derived from experiments in solid tissue. Since air is much less dense, there is less scatter of the beam on traversing lung. As a result, the dose is 3% greater for every centimetre of lung traversed. Therefore, on calculating the dose to the tumour, the lung correction factor must be applied (Figure evolves 25.5 and 25.6 image).

Mar 7, 2016 | Posted by in GENERAL RADIOLOGY | Comments Off on Tumours of the thorax

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