Radiology, Vol 189, 147-150, Copyright © 1993 by Radiological Society of North America
Clinical experience with an endobronchial implant
BR Marsh, DP Colvin, ES Zinreich, JF Jackson and DJ Lee
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
PURPOSE: To report clinical experience with an implantable capsule for
treating endobronchial carcinoma by means of bronchoscopic insertion and
retrieval. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The capsule consists of a plastic
cylinder containing high-activity iodine-125 seeds and four restraining
legs. Twelve patients with recurrent (n = 11) or inoperable carcinoma (n =
1) received a median dose of 4,500 (range, 2,633-6,299) cGy at a 1- cm
radius from the center of the implant. RESULTS: No acute toxicities were
observed. Five patients had complete regression of the endobronchial tumor,
evidenced at bronchoscopy 2 months after therapy, and four patients had
partial regression. Three patients failed to return for bronchoscopy.
Symptomatic relief was achieved in eight of 10 patients with dyspnea, four
of nine with cough, and two of three with hemoptysis. The median survival
of the 12 patients was 6 months. The actuarial 1-year survival rate was
25%. CONCLUSION: This capsule is safe and efficacious in treating recurrent
or inoperable carcinoma of the lung.
