JLE

Bulletin du Cancer

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To be cured of lung cancer Volume 89, issue 4, Avril 2002

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Authors
Service de pneumologie, Hôpital Jean-Minjoz, boulevard Fleming, 25030 Besançon Cedex.

Pronostic of lung carcinoma is very poor but, every year in Europe and North America, thousands of patients are offered a chance of cure. However only a long period of time without relapse allows to state the reality of cure. Sequelae generated by cancer treatments are potentially increased by the use of treatments combinations. In operated patients, chronic respiratory insufficiency is the most common late complication often interfering with professionnal activity especially for manual workers. Late toxicity after radiotherapy for lung cancer has been little studied. Thoracic irradiation especially affects lung and cardiac functions. Late toxicity of chemotherapy may be more frequent with the increasing use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery or radiotherapy in patients potentially cure.