Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, with roughly 1.5 million cases each year (incidence and mortality), two-thirds of them in men. Radiation pneumonitis is fatal in 1-2% of lung cancer patients treated with combination radiation and chemotherapy. In the US stereotactic conformal radiotherapy is finding increased use in order to deliver lethal radiation to the tumor while preserving life-sustaining lung tissue. Recent studies have shown that hyperpolarized gas MRI can be used to refine conformal avoidance treatment plans for radiotherapy of lung cancer [Hodge, et al], which could reduce the incidence of radiation-induced lung injury particularly in regions that have healthy ventilation.