title: The value of induction chemotherapy for survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with radiotherapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the impact of induction chemotherapy on treatment outcome in patients treated with curatively intended radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with a diagnosed NSCLC that have been subjected to curatively intended irradiation (≥50 Gy) and treated in an oncology department in Sweden during the years 1990-2000 were included in the study. Operated patients and patients having received concomitant chemotherapy were excluded. The included patients were localised by a manual search of all the oncology departments' medical records and radiation charts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated with induction chemotherapy (n=79) had a significantly better overall survival compared with patients treated with radiotherapy alone (p=0.0097) in a univariate Cox regression analysis. A platinum/taxane combination produced the greatest survival benefit; hazard ratio=0.49 (95% confidence interval=0.31 to 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that patients treated with induction chemotherapy in addition to radiotherapy for NSCLC have a better overall survival than patients treated with radiotherapy alone and that the best results are achieved using a platinum/taxane combination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holgersson
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandelin
authors.forename: Even
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoye
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Henriksson
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekman
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nyman
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helsing
authors.forename: Signe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friesland
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brodin
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holgersson
authors.forename: Kristina Lamberg
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mörth
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blystad
authors.forename: Sven-Börje
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ewers
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Löden
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents