title: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for elderly patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Combined chemoradiotherapy is standard management for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC), but standard treatment for elderly patients with LA-NSCLC has not been confirmed yet. We evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for elderly patients with LA-NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among patients older than 65 years with LA-NSCLC, 36 patients, who underwent CCRT were retrospectively analyzed. Chemotherapy was administered 3-5 times with 4 weeks interval during radiotherapy. Thoracic radiotherapy was delivered to the primary mass and regional lymph nodes. Total dose of 54-59.4 Gy (median, 59.4 Gy) in daily 1.8 Gy fractions and 5 fractions per week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding the response to treatment, complete response, partial response, and no response were shown in 16.7%, 66.7%, and 13.9%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 58.2% and 31.2%, respectively, and the median survival was 15 months. The 1- and 2-year progression-free survivals (PFS) were 41.2% and 19.5%, respectively, and the median PFS was 10 months. Regarding to the toxicity developed after CCRT, pneumonitis and esophagitis with grade 3 or higher were observed in 13.9% (5 patients) and 11.1% (4 patients), respectively. Treatment-related death was not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment-related toxicity as esophagitis and pneumonitis were noticeably lower when was compared with the previously reported results, and the survival rate was higher than radiotherapy alone. The results indicate that CCRT is an effective in terms of survival and treatment related toxicity for elderly patients over 65 years old with LA-NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea. ; Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Mun
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Bae Kwon
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: In Bong
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Gyu Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Gyeong Won
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hoon Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Won Seob
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myoung Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kang