Carcinoma of the lung: An evaluation of the scalene node biopsy in relation to radiation therapy of the supraclavicular region

Abstract

Three hundred and forty‐two cases of carcinoma of the lung treated by Radiation Therapy at the Medical College of Virginia were included in this series. Of these patients, 237 had biopsies of the supraclavicular nodes. One hundred and thirteen, or 47%, of those biopsies were positive for metastases. A comparison was made between those patients who had supraclavicular nodes positive for metastases, and those with negative nodes, insofar as survival is concerned. There appears to be significant difference in survival, albeit short, when a comparison is made of those with positive supraclavicular nodes by having the supraclavicular region treated by irradiation, compared with those having positive supraclavicular nodes but receiving no radiation therapy. The patients with no supraclavicular node biopsy, but having treatment of the supraclavicular region, showed a higher mean survival than did patients with no supraclavicular node biopsy and no supraclavicular radiation therapy. A group of patients having negative supraclavicular node biopsies and receiving no radiation therapy to the supraclavicular region had the highest mean survival of any group, a mean of over 10 months for a total of 76 patients treated. Comments are also made as to the overall survival of lung cancer according to the histologic type of the tumor.