The role of surgery in stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer.
For most patients who have stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a combination of chemotherapy and radiation represents the current treatment of choice. Recent developments include the use of adjuvant chemotherapy after up-front surgery in subgroups of patients who have stage III disease, as well as innovative ways to deliver concurrent chemoradiotherapy or combinations of chemotherapy with higher-dose conformal radiotherapy techniques. This article focuses on patients who have stage IIIA NSCLC and reviews the different possibilities for their treatment. Special emphasis is given to the inclusion of surgery into the different approaches to this disease stage. The current literature on this topic is reviewed, and the different aspects of surgical treatment in the management of stage IIIA NSCLC are discussed.
Eberhardt
Wilfried E E
WE
Department of Internal Medicine (Cancer Research), West German Cancer Centre Essen, Universitätsklinikum of the University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany. wilfried.eberhardt@uni-essen.de
Hepp
Rodrigo
R
Stamatis
Georgios
G
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging