Aims and background To analyze the possible correlation between hemoglobin concentration and the appearance of acute radiotherapy-induced toxicity. Methods We prospectively studied hemoglobin levels and acute radiotherapy-induced toxicity in 86 patients treated for 3 months. Both sexes were considered to have anemia if their hemoglobin level was ≤12 g/dL. No patient received corrective treatment for hemoglobin levels. Acute toxicity was analyzed weekly during radiotherapy and 45 days after therapy ended. The possible relationship between anemia and toxicity was analyzed, as was the correlation between hemoglobin values and the degree of toxicity. Results The findings were similar for all prognostic factors in patients with and without anemia. Hemoglobin concentration was ≤12 g/dL in 24 patients (27.9%; mean, 10.93 ± 0.78 g/dL). At the end of radiotherapy, hemoglobin levels were ≤12 g/dL in 18 patients (20.9%; mean, 11.26 ± 1.06 g/dL). The correlation between pretherapy and posttherapy hemoglobin concentration was significant at r = 0.729 (P = 0.01). The correlation between absolute hemoglobin values and the degree of toxicity, and the possible relationship between hemoglobin concentration and the appearance or the degree of toxicity after radiotherapy, was not significant. Conclusions The relationship between hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation of the tumor and healthy tissues was not linear. This may account for the influence of hemoglobin levels on control of the disease as reported in earlier studies, but it does not account for their influence on acute toxicity after radiotherapy.

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Resumen• Propósito: Evaluar la Sensibilidad, Especificidad, Valor predictivo positivo y Valor Predictivo Negativo de la Tomografia Axial Computarizada (TAC) en el estadiaje ganglionar del cáncer de pulmón.• Material y métodos: Se han analizado 30 pacientes diagnosticados de carcinoma pulmonar entre Mayo de 2003 y Mayo de 2004. A todos los pacientes se les realizó una TAC torácica, valorando la afectación ganglionar mediastínica. A su vez, se les realizó o una mediastinoscopia o una resección pulmonar más linfadenectomía mediastínica, obteniendo así material para el estudio anatomo-patológico para confirmar o no la afectación ganglionar mediastínica y correlacionarla con los hallazgos de la TAC.• Resultados: Hemos obtenido una Sensibilidad del 72,2%, una Especificidad del 100%, un valor predictivo positivo del 100% y un valor predictivo negativo del 70,6% para la TAC, utilizando como "gold standar" el estudio anatomopatológico.• Conclusiones: La TAC torácica se considera una prueba de imagen de rutina en el diagnóstico del cán-cer de pulmón; pero en muchos casos no es capaz de estadiar correctamente la afectación ganglionar mediastí-nica. Es en estos casos, donde es necesario realizar pruebas invasivas como la mediastinoscopia. Actualmente, la aparición de la PET permite estadiar mejor el tumor, ofreciendo mejor tratamiento a cada paciente, y en determinados casos evitar técnicas diagnósticas invasivas. Palabras clave:Carcinoma pulmonar. TAC. Mediastinoscopia. Oncología, 2005; 28 (7):343-350

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