title: Postoperative radiotherapy for resected pathological stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer: a retrospective study of 221 cases from a single institution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  For patients with resected pathological stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the role of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is not well defined. In this single-institutional study, we re-evaluated the effect of PORT on overall survival (OS) as well as tumor control in this subgroup of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2003-2005, 221 consecutive patients with resected pathological stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC at our institution were retrospectively analyzed in an institutional review board-approved study. The effect of PORT on OS, cancer-specific survival (CSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests. The impact of PORT on locoregional control and distant metastasis was also analyzed. Results. Compared with the control, patients treated with PORT had a significantly longer OS time (χ2, 3.966; p = .046) and DFS interval (χ2, 6.891; p = .009), as well as a trend toward a longer CSS duration (χ2, 3.486; p = .062). Patients treated with PORT also had a significantly higher locoregional recurrence-free survival rate (χ2, 5.048; p = .025) as well as distant metastasis-free survival rate (χ2, 11.248; p = .001). Multivariate analyses showed that PORT was significantly associated with a longer OS duration (p = .000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PORT can significantly improve the survival of patients with resected pathological stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. A prospective randomized multicenter clinical trial is ongoing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Hospital & Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. wlhwq@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Honghai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Zhouguang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jima
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Guangfei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Zongmei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Qinfu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zefen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Dongfu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hongxing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Weibo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Luhua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis