Impacts of hyperfractionated radiotherapy at different fractionated doses on short- and long-term efficacy and toxicity in patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer

Objective: To explore the short-and long-term efficacy and toxic and side effects of hyperfractionated radiotherapy with different fractionated doses in patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Methods: From August 2017 to August 2019, 70 patients with limited stage SCLC admitted to Zhangye People’s Hospital were selected and divided into control group (n=35) and observation group (n=35) according to the random number table method. Conventional chemotherapy and hyperfractionated radiotherapy were used in both groups, with a total dose of 45 Gy in the control group and 60 Gy in the observation group. A three-year follow-up was carried out to compare the short- and long-term efficacy (survival and local control rate), and the occurrence of toxic and side effects between the two groups. Results: The total effective rate in the observation group was obviously higher than that in the control group (91.43% vs 71.43%, χ2=4.629, P=0.031). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year local control rates and survival rates of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P＜0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P＞0.05), and most of adverse reactions were grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ, which did not affect the course of treatment. After treatment, the scores of life quality in both groups increased significantly (P＜0.01), and the observation group showed a significant increase compared to the control group (P＜0.01). Conclusion: Hyperfractionnated radiotherapy with appropriately increased fractionated dose for patients with limited stage SCLC has better short- and long-term efficacy, higher local control rate and survival, and no significant increase in toxic and side effects, which is safe and can improve the quality of patients' life