Radiation Alone (without surgery) for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Surgery is the treatment of choice for non-small cell lung cancer, and has the best results. Some patients with early stage lung cancer are treated with radiation alone because they either refuse surgery or are medically inoperable,

The expected survival results using conventional radiation of these patients is poor but probably better than nothing are noted below (also see literature review from Cheung,  and more recent review

With modern radiation techniques the cure rate with radiation alone may be 68% or higher (go here and here).
The results are even better using radiosurgery or CyberKnife (go here and here).

 

 

Literature Review of Radiation Alone for Early Stage Lung Cancer
Median Survival = 16 - 28 months
Survival at 2 years = 22 - 56%
Survival at 5 Years =  6 - 32%
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Sem Rad Onc 1996;6:98

Stage I Lung Cancer Survival at St. Anthony's