Lung Carcinoma | Risk Factors for Late Esophageal Toxicity After Radiation Therapy

 

Therapy: high dose conformal radiation

 

Toxicity was measured by RTOG grading, with no patients developing Grades 4 or 5 (necrosis, fistula, perforation, death). Approximately 18% of patients developed Grades 1-3 toxicity (mild to severe fibrosis and difficulty swallowing).

 

Risk factors for late toxicity:

(1) delivery of > 50 Gy to > 32% of esophageal volume

(1) delivery of > 50 Gy to > 32% of esophageal surface

(3) delivery of > 50 Gy to > 3.2 cm of the entire esophageal circumference

(4) delivery of > 80 Gy to any part of the esophagus

(5) dysphagia prior to radiation therapy

 

number of risk factors =

= SUM(number of risk factors present)

 

Interpretation:

• minimum number of risk factors: 0

• maximum number of risk factors: 5