Radiation reaction in the lung after continuous and split-course megavoltage radiotherapy of bronchial carcinoma

Abstract

Radiation reactions in the lungs were studied clinically and radiologically in 74 bronchial carcinoma patients treated by the split-course method and 33 similar patients treated conventionally by continuous high-energy radiation. The radiation reactions were milder after split-course management and appeared two months later than after continuous radiotherapy. The observations show good agreement with the theoretical background of the split-course method.