[Clinical observation of gemcitabine and concurrent three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) in the treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer].
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the clinical effect of gemcitabine and concurrent three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
From April 2002 to June 2003, 28 patients with inoperable stage III NSCLC were treated with gemcitabine and 3D-CRT simultaneously. Chemotherapy consisted of intravenously gemcitabine 350 mg/m 2 on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36. 3D-CRT was delivered up to a total dose of 60-64 Gy with a 2.0 Gy dose fraction per day, 5 days per week.


RESULTS
The overall response rates of primary tumor and mediastinum metastatic node were 89.3%(25/28) and 96.0%(24/25) respectively, and 94.7%(18/19) and 77.8%(7/9) for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma respectively. The acute side effects of patients were mostly myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting, radiation-induced esophagitis and pneumonitis (RTOGI/II), however, all of them were cured.


CONCLUSIONS
Concurrent application of gemcitabine and 3D-CRT can improve the overall response rate for locally advanced NSCLC without aggravating the side effects.
Department of Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430023, P.R.China.
Jing
J
Cheng
Gang
G
Wu
Hongge
H
Wu