title: Toxicity, physical function and everyday activity reported by patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer in a randomized trial (chemotherapy versus radiotherapy).
abstract: In a randomized trial, patients with inoperable non-small cell lung cancer with limited disease were randomly given either radiotherapy (42 Gy) or combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, 70 mg/m2, and etoposide, 100 mg/m2, given every third week with a maximum of 4 cycles. The patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire concerning psychosocial well-being, medical and treatment related symptoms, physical function and everyday activity. Of the chemotherapy patients 61% reported nausea 5 weeks after their last chemotherapy session and 44% had spells of vomiting. Only 14% of the radiotherapy patients had nausea and 5% vomited 14 weeks after start of treatment. Of the radiotherapy patients 64% experienced dysphagia compared to 8% of the chemotherapy patients 6 weeks after the start of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Radiotherapy, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaasa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mastekaasa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thorud
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005047:Etoposide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011882:Radiotherapy, High-Energy; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005047:Etoposide; D002945:Cisplatin