title: Multicentre phase II trial of paclitaxel and carboplatin with concurrent radiotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate weekly induction chemotherapy followed by weekly concomitant chemoradiotherapy in a multicentre phase II study of patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; stage wet IIIB excluded).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients received three weekly cycles of paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC2 followed by six weekly cycles of paclitaxel 60 mg/m2 and carboplatin AUC2 in combination with thoracic radiotherapy (2 Gy per fraction and day to a total dose of 60 Gy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four patients (40 males and 24 females) with a median age of 63 years (range, 43-79 years) entered the study. T and N stage were distributed as follows: T1 2 patients (3.2%), T2 10 patients (15.6%), T3 15 patients (23.4%), T4 37 patients (57.8%); N0 10 patients (15.6%), N1 1 patient (1.6%), N2 26 patients (40.6%), N3 26 patients (40.6%), and N missing 1 patient (1.6%). Seven patients (10.9%) suffered from grade 3/4 oesophagitis. Grade 1/2 oesophagitis occurred in 36 patients (56.3%) and pneumonitis grade 1/2 occurred in 10 patients (15.6%). Sixty-three patients were evaluated on an intent-to-treat basis. The overall response rate was 74.6%. The median time to progression was 247 days and median overall survival was 461 days. According to subgroup analyses, no statistically significant differences were noted according to gender, age (<65 vs. > or =65 years), performance status, histology, or study centre.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin is feasible and generates moderate toxicity. Efficacy is comparable to other recently published regimens. However, prognosis remains, in general, poor for this group of patients and further work to develop better therapy is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. tell_roger@lilly.com
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tell
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sederholm
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klintenberg
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franksson
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brandén
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hillerdal
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lönn
authors.forename: Carl-Johan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lindén
authors.forename: Sven-Börje
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ewers
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lamberg
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mrazek
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lödén
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjögren
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Linné
authors.forename: Signe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friesland
authors.forename: Florin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sirzén
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel