BACKGROUNDTo investigate the efficacy of hyperfractionated radiotherapy (HRT) for non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSFifty patients with stage I-III NSCLC were treated in our department from Oct. 1995 to Jan. 2000. All patients had the pathological diagnosis. The patients were divided into two groups according to their entrance sequence: 25 patients were treated by HRT as the treatment group given the tumor doses (DT) 68.9-74.6 Gy/6-6.5 weeks, mean DT 70.3 Gy/6-6.5 weeks; 25 patients were irradiated by conventional fractionation (CF) as the control group given DT 64.2-70.4 Gy/6-7 weeks, mean DT 68.6 Gy/6-7 weeks. No patients received chemotherapy or immunotherapy before this treatment.

RESULTSThe effective rate after the radiotherapy was 80% (20/25) in the HRT group and 48% (12/25) in the CF group (Chi-square=5.56,P < 0.05 ). The 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rate of the HRT group was 68% (17/25), 60% (15/25) and 36% (9/25) respectively. The 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rate of the CF group was 52% (13/25), 32% (8/25) and 20% (5/25) respectively. The 2-year survival rate was significantly different between two groups (Chi-square=3.95,P < 0.05 ). The 1-, 2-, 3-year local progression free-rate of the HRT group was 72% (18/25), 60% (15/25) and 44% (11/25) respectively. The 1 , 2 , 3 year local progression free rate of the CF group was 64% (16/25), 48% (12/25) and 32% (8/25) respectively.

CONCLUSIONSAccording to the direct calculation, the efficacy of HRT for NSCLC is higher than that of CF. It is necessary to follow up the long term survival for the patients treated with HRT.