The short and long term effects of intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy (IORT) on thoracic organs after pneumonectomy an experimental study in the canine model

Purpose: The tolerance of mediastinal structures and thoracic organs to intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) was investigated in the canine model.

Methods and Materials: Twenty-two adult beagles divided into three groups were subjected to a left pneumonectomy and IORT (10 MeV electrons) at doses of 20 Gy (n = 9), 25 Gy (n = 4), or 30 Gy (n 9). Intraoperative electron beam radiotherapy was delivered through a 5 cm circular lucite cone encompassing a mediastinal field including the bronchial stump, aorta, esophagus, heart, phrenic nerve, contralateral hilar structures, and lung. Clinical monitoring was performed with regular chest X-ray, ECG, bronchoscopy, esofagoscopy, and fluoroscopy. From the different treatment dose groups, dogs were electively sacrificed at 1.5, 6, 12, and 72 months with complete autopsies.

Results: There was no bronchial stump dehiscence or acute morbidity. Four dogs developed radiation induced esophagitis (18%), one in the 20 Gy IORT group (11%) and three in the 30 Gy IORT group (33%). There were six IORT related mortalities (27.5%), one esophagoaortic fistula (4.5%) and five bronchovascular fistulas (23%): two in the 20 Gy IORT group (22%), two in the 25 Gy IORT group (50%) and two in the 30 Gy IORT group (22%). Histopathological findings in uncomplicated follow-up showed marked myointimal fibrosis in the muscular arteries, submucosal fibrosis of the esophagus, and interstitial fibrosis of bronchial and lung tissue, especially in the higher dose group.

Conclusion: The mediastinal vascular, bronchial and esophageal structures are relatively sensitive to doses > 20Gy IORT. The IORT related morbidity found in this study may be lower when the current clinically used IORT doses of 10-15 Gy are applied. Further clinical application of IORT in the future treatment strategies for resectable nonsmall cell lung cancer may be worthwhile to investigate. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.