Induction paclitaxel/carboplatin followed by concurrent chemoradiation therapy for unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: a limited-access study--CALGB 9534.
BACKGROUND
This phase II cooperative group study of patients with unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer was designed to treat patients with induction chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin (PC) followed by concurrent chemotherapy with the same chemotherapy plus thoracic irradiation to 66 Gy.


METHODS
All enrolled patients were scheduled to receive 2 cycles of induction PC at conventional doses. All nonprogressing patients were subsequently treated with concurrent chemoradiation, including 7 weekly doses of PC and once-daily thoracic irradiation. The eligibility criteria allowed treatment of an expanded population of patients, unrestricted by previous weight loss.


RESULTS
Despite the fact that 22% of patients had experienced > 5% weight loss in the preceding 6 months, 23 of the 40 eligible patients (58%) responded to the overall regimen. A 3-year failure-free survival rate of 15% and a 3-year overall survival rate of 27% were achieved. The 3-year overall survival rate is consistent with landmark cooperative group results for the combined modality treatment of a more highly selected patient population.


CONCLUSIONS
The feasibility of this therapeutic approach in a cooperative group setting and inclusive of patients who were representative of the general population of stage III lung cancer patients was established.
Akerley
Wallace
W
Department of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA.
Herndon
James E
JE
Lyss
Alan P
AP
Choy
Hak
H
Turrisi
Andrew
A
Graziano
Stephen
S
Williams
Todd
T
Zhang
Chunfeng
C
Vokes
Everett E
EE
Green
Mark R
MR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel