Aim. In patients with advanced and/or inoperable bronchial tumors, methods of palliative care such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, brachytherapy and cryotherapy, singly and/or in combination, aiming at extending the survival time and improving the quality of life, were examined. Methods. One hundred and sixty three (163) patients, with mean age 67.9 yrs (range 22-25) and a male/female ratio at 1.34/1, treated between 2000-2004 were studied. Eighty one (81) patients receiving only cryotherapy presented a two-year survival rate at 19.3%, whilst eighty three (83) patients treated with radiotherapy or brachytherapy and/or chemotherapy showed a two-year survival rate at 25%. Sixty-five percent (65%) of patients only cryotreated had improvement in at least one or more Karnofsky and WHO indices. Results. Eighty percent (80%) of patients who received cryotherapy accompanied with supplementary palliative treatment showed amelioration of their clinical status. Conclusion. It seems that for patients with advanced or inoperable lung tumors, cryotherapy associated with additional palliative care may influence the survival time and improve their quality of life.
Keywords: Quality of life; lung cancer; palliative care.