title: Radiation therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a curative treatment option.
abstract: This paper analyzes our treatment results for a selected group of Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with irradiation alone. One, two and five-year survival rates were 42%, 20% and 6% respectively. Survival rates for patients with Stage IIIA and Stage IIIB disease were similar. Our results agree with the literature and confirm that 5% of selected patients with Stage III NSCLC will be disease free and potentially cured, five years after treatment with irradiation. Recurrence in the radiation field continues to be a major problem for patients with Stage III NSCLC, accounting for the initial site of failure in 40%-55% of patients. Improvements in local control will likely improve survival rates somewhat; but, because of the marked propensity for these cancers to ultimately metastasize, significant improvement in survival rates will only occur when effective systemic therapy becomes available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Talkington
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Wolff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate