Background: The demand for minimally invasive therapies is increasing in the treatment of small peripheral non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Patients and methods: Twelve patients with T1-2 N0 M0 peripheral NSCLC were treated by high-dose-rate brachytherapy with (192)Ir radioactive source.
Results: A (192)Ir source was introduced into the tumors percutaneously in five patients (percutaneous brachytherapy) or transbronchially in seven patients (transbronchial brachytherapy). Whereas irradiation was performed with a single fraction of 20 Gy in percutaneous brachytherapy, it was hypofractionated from 5 x 5 Gy to 2 x 12.5 Gy in transbronchial brachytherapy. Complications were generally mild in all patients, although focal radiation pneumonitis was observed in most patients. Primary recurrence occurred in three patients, including one with a T2 tumor and one treated by brachytherapy as a salvage treatment for recurrence after conformal radiotherapy. When brachytherapy is evaluated as a primary treatment for T1 N0 M0 NSCLC, local control rate is 88.9% and estimated 5-year survival rate is between 60% and 70%.
Conclusion: Brachytherapy has a potential to be a method to treat peripheral T1 N0 M0 NSCLC.