Dr. Bradley on Radiation Therapy in Lung Cancer

Jeffrey D. Bradley, MD, Professor, Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, discusses ongoing research involving radiation therapy for lung cancer.

Beyond the phase III RTOG 0617 study, there are still important questions surrounding radiation treatment in non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.

The randomized phase II RTOG 1106 study uses PET scans at mid-treatment to refocus the radiation. In the trial, researchers treat a smaller volume and increase the radiation dose. The number of treatments in the study is fixed at 30, Bradley says, so the last 10 treatments are given to a smaller volume at a higher dose per day (hypofractionated radiation treatment).

Bradley says he has also been working with the 10 U.S. institutions that have proton therapy to open a trial comparing it with IMRT. The trial will look at IMRT with x-rays versus proton therapy in patients with stage 3 lung cancer.