Adjuvant therapy in completely resected non-small-cell lung cancer.
Less than 20% to 25% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) present with stage I or II disease and are best treated by surgical resection. Long-term survival in early NSCLC remains poor. The 5-year survival rate of patients who undergo complete surgical resection is only 40% to 50%. The majority of relapses after surgery are distant metastases; the risk of a local recurrence after complete resection is less than 10%. Postoperative treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both modalities together, have been evaluated widely, but unfortunately none of these treatments have demonstrated any significant impact on survival. Data regarding large-scale adjuvant chemotherapy trials that were closed for accrual almost 4 to 5 years ago will be fully available before the end of the year. It is hoped that a specific meta-analysis will be performed on the basis of these data.
Scagliotti
Giorgio V
GV
Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, S Luigi Hospital, Thoracic Oncology Unit, Regione Gonzole, 10, 10043 Orbassano (Torino), Italy. giorgio.scagliotti@unito.it
Novello
Silvia
S
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome