A correlation research of pulmonary function before and after radiation therapy and radiation-induced pneumonitis in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Objective To discuss the relationship between lung function before and after radiotherapy and radiation-induced pneumonitis in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.Methods 76 patients were evaluated by pulmonary function tests before radiotherapy and in 1 month and 3 month after radiotherapy respectively.Results All patients were treated radiotherapy with irradiation dose of 60-70 Gy,the radiation pneumonitis occurred in 26 patients (group A),22 patients were grade 1,3 patients were grade 2,1 patient grade 3 and no patient was grade 4 and 5.50 patients without radiation pneumonitis were group B.There were significant difference between group A and group B for FEV1 before radiotherapy [(51.67±19.03) ％,(69.03± 14.54) ％,t =2.34,P ＜ 0.05].There were no significant difference between in 1 month and 3 months after radiotherapy for FVC (P ＞ 0.05).There was significant difference between in 1 month and 3 months after radiotherapy for DLCO (group A,P ＜ 0.01; group B,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions For locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients,the lower of FEV1 before radiotherapy inclineds to develop radiation pneumonitis,DLCO levels are lower significantly in patients prones to radiation pneumonitis.FEV1 and DLCO are sensitive indicators to predict radiation pneumonitis. Key words: Carcinoma, non-small-cell lung;  Pulmonary function;  Radiotherapy