Which patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer should undergo surgical resection?
The treatment of patients with stage III NSCLC remains controversial. Stage III NSCLC comprises a fairly heterogeneous group of tumors, and furthermore only sparse data from randomized clinical trials exist to guide therapy decisions. This review article proposes a management algorithm for patients with stage III NSCLC that is based upon the currently available data on surgical therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. By necessity, given the paucity of strong data, a good deal of opinion is offered. The choice to proceed with aggressive, combined modality treatment is presented in light of extent of local disease as well as patient performance status.
Patel
Vivek
V
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Shrager
Joseph B
JB
D000465:Algorithms; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic