ArticleBMC cancer2025
Effectiveness and safety of pirfenidone for radiation-induced lung injury in non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective pilot study.
Article in BMC cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Research progresses on the regulatory roles of microRNAs in radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis.Journal of molecular histology · 2026Review
- Unraveling the temporal dynamics of radiation-induced lung injury: a multi-omics integration of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolic reprogramming.BMC medical genomics · 2026Article
- Pathogen spectrum and management strategies for opportunistic infections in lung cancer in the immunotherapy era: recent advances from fungi to mycobacteria.American journal of cancer research · 2025Review
- Radiation-triggered acute exacerbation of progressive fibrotic interstitial lung diseases: 'Are we advancing the frontier or crossing a dangerous line?'Therapeutic advances in respiratory diseaseReview
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
16 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRadiotherapy (RT) remains a cornerstone in the treatment of thoracic malignancies; however, approximately one-third of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) develop Grade ≥ 2 radiation-induced lung injury (RILI). Despite its clinical significance, no pharmacologic standard of care has been established for RILI. Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic agent with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has demonstrated potential in preclinical models of RILI. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of pirfenidone in NSCLC patients with RILI following thoracic RT.
methodsWe retrospectively analyzed 33 NSCLC patients diagnosed with Grade ≥ 2 RILI who received pirfenidone (400 mg three times daily) in combination with standard-of-care treatment. The corticosteroid regimen included intravenous methylprednisolone (20-40 mg/day for 5 days), tapered and discontinued by Day 14. Radiologic response was assessed via monthly high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and symptoms were graded using common terminology criteria for adverse event(CTCAE) version 5.0. Dose-volume metrics (V5, V20, mean lung dose) were recorded and analyzed for correlation with RILI severity.
resultsRadiographic improvement was observed in 78.8% (26/33) of patients, with a trend toward increased response over time. No Grade ≥ 3 pirfenidone-related adverse events (AEs) were observed. One patient experienced transient Grade 3 thrombocytopenia attributed to prior chemotherapy. Univariate analysis showed no significant association between baseline characteristics and treatment response. Four patients with overlapping RILI and immune-related pneumonitis also showed clinical improvement.
conclusionsOur findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the clinical benefit and tolerability of pirfenidone for RILI in NSCLC patients. These results warrant further investigation in prospective controlled trials to establish its role in routine clinical practice.
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