[Treatment of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: concurrent high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy].
The treatment of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage III) has changed significantly in the past few years. Patients with a non-resectable stage IIIA/B tumour are given combined treatment consisting ofchemotherapy and radiotherapy. These can be administered sequentially or concurrently. It has been shown recently that concurrent chemoradiotherapy gives a survival advantage in comparison with sequential chemoradiotherapy. Cisplatin and etoposide are usually the drugs of choice for chemotherapy in patients with stage III cancer. A biologically effective dose of radiotherapy equivalent to 60-66 Gy, over a maximum of 6.5 weeks, should be given. Surgery is possible for a selected group of patients, provided a complete objective mediastinal response has been achieved after chemoradiotherapy and a complete resection appears to be technically feasible. It is recommended to apply this treatment in a research setting. High-dose concurrent chemoradiotherapy is advised as the standard treatment for stage III non-small cell lung cancer in patients in good physical condition.
El Sharouni
S Y
SY
Universitaire Medisch Centrum Utrecht, afd. Radiotherapie, Q00.118, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht. s.y.elsharouni@umcutrecht.nl
Aerts
J G J V
JG
Senan
S
S
De Ruysscher
D K M
DK
Groen
H J M
HJ
Paul
M A
MA
Smit
E F
EF
Vonk
E J A
EJ
Verhagen
A F
AF
Schramel
F M N H
FM
D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012074:Remission Induction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome