Premium
Radiotherapy for carcinomatous brachial plexopathy. A clinical study of 23 cases
Author(s) -
Ampil Federico L.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19851101)56:9<2185::aid-cncr2820560908>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - medicine , brachial plexopathy , radiation therapy , surgery , brachial plexus , radiology , nuclear medicine
Twenty‐three patients with the clinical or pathologic diagnosis of carcinomatous brachial plexopathy received external irradiation. Significant pain relief was achieved in 77.2% (17/22) of the patients for a median duration of 3 months. The observed objective response rate was 46.1%. The total administered dose (range, 1000 rad/5 fractions‐5800 rad/31 fractions) as well as the treatment field width size (range, 5‐24 cm) varied. Analysis of these two technical radiotherapy factors indicated that the total amount of delivered dose rather than the therapy‐port‐width size was the more important factor in the achievement of optimal symptomatic palliation. A literature review summarizes results of external irradiation for this painful disease syndrome, including superior sulcus Pancoast tumor.