Preliminary results of radiotherapy with or without weekly paclitaxel in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
In this study our objective was to evaluate the therapeutic significance of concurrent paclitaxel and radiotherapy compared with radiotherapy alone.


METHODS
Patients with stage III A/B NSCLC were randomly assigned to receive either radiotherapy alone (group 2) or concurrent weekly paclitaxel with radiotherapy (group 1) in GMMA. Radiotherapy was given as a split-course schedule with the total dose of 56 Gy. Paclitaxel, 60 mg/m(2), was administered only to group 1 on the first day of each radiotherapy week. To assess differences between values, P values were calculated with the chi(2) test. A Mann Whitney U-test was used to assess significant differences between the two values. Actuarial survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.


RESULTS
There were 25 patients who underwent chemoradiotherapy and 26 who underwent radiotherapy only. Median follow-up was 14 months. The overall response rate was 92% and 70% for groups 1 and 2, respectively ( P= 0.003). Median survival was 15.2 months for group 1, and 12.0 months for group 2 ( P= 0.027).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this response and the toxicity profile, outpatient split-course radiotherapy and weekly paclitaxel seems to be feasible and safe.
Cüneyt Ulutin
Hakki
H
Gülhane Military Medicine Academy Radiation Oncology Department, GATA Loj Ural apt Daire 39, Etlik, 06018, Ankara, Turkey. culutin@yahoo.com
Pak
Yucel
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel