The use of palliative radiotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer

Abstract

There have been significant advances in the systemic treatment of stage IV lung cancer, which is now recommended first line in patients with adequate fitness. This includes some patients with brain metastases due to the increased understanding of the central nervous system penetration of targeted therapies. The trials evidence base for palliative radiotherapy pre-dated this routine use of systemic therapy in our practice, which means that the sequence and role of palliative radiotherapy are not currently well defined in the first-line treatment setting. However, due to its efficacy in symptom control, radiotherapy remains a core component in the palliative management of lung cancer, particularly in the second-line setting and those unsuited to primary systemic treatment. This overview focuses on the evidence behind palliative radiotherapy to the thorax and brain for non-small cell and small cell lung cancer and the potential for future studies, including the TOURIST Trial Platform, to guide the future direction of these treatments.