title: Radiotherapy versus radiotherapy enhanced by cisplatin in stage III non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Between January 1987 and June 1991, 173 patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer, Stage III, were entered into a randomized trial comparing radiotherapy only (RT) (45 Gy/15 fractions/3 weeks) (arm A) versus RT and a daily low dose of cDDP (6 mg/m2) (arm B). An overall response rate of 58.9% was observed in arm A and 50.6% in arm B, respectively. No differences in the pattern of relapse were noted between the two treatment groups. Median time to progression was 10.6 months for arm A and 14.2 months for arm B. Median survivals were 10.3 months and 9.97 months, respectively. Toxicity was acceptable and no treatment-related death occurred in either treatment schedule. In this study no significant advantage of the combined treatment over radiation therapy only was found. The encouraging results achieved in some trials together with the intractability of the disease suggest that further efforts should be made to optimize clinical trial protocols, perhaps by reviewing the radiobiological and pharmacological basis of the combined treatment.
authors.affiliation: North-Eastern Italian Oncology Group (G.O.C.C.N.E.), Centro di Riferimento Oncologico (C.R.O.) Aviano, Pordenone.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Trovó
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minatel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franchin
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Boccieri
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nascimben
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolzicco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torretta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gobitti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D002945:Cisplatin