title: The optimal chemotherapy timing in patients with inoperable locally advanced non small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Only 20% of patients with stage III NSCLC are cured by surgery. There is a disagreement among the oncologists in terms of whether which regimen (induction chemotherapy followed chemoradiotherapy, concurrent chemoradiation or concurrent chemoradiation followed consolidation chemotherapy) is best choice in inoperable LA NSCLC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate chemotherapy timing in inoperable LA NSCLC (before, only concomitant or after curative chemotherapy).
  
  
  METHODS
  Total of 74 consecutive patient with LA NSCLC which was inoperable due to medical condition or stage from Kayseri Research and Training Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into three groups according to treatment protocols: Induction chemotherapy followed chemoradiotherapy (Ind. CTàCRT), chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and chemoradiotherapy followed consolidation chemotherapy (CRTàCons. CT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When evaluating progression free survival (PFS), PFS did not significantly differed among the groups (p=0,078). We found significant difference among groups (p = 0.047) in terms of overall survival. While CRTàCons. CT arm had highest mean and median survival times, Ind. CTàCRT arm had worst OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CRTàCons. CT treatment modality seems preferable regimen for treatment of inoperable LA NSCLC.
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Acibadem Kayseri Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey. doktorhasanmutlu@gmail.com
authors: Hasan
authors: H
authors: Mutlu
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Acibadem University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Abdullah
authors: A
authors: Büyükçelik
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kayseri Research and Training Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors: Tuncay
authors: T
authors: Aslan
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kayseri Research and Training Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors: Abdülsamet
authors: A
authors: Erden
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Mersin Goverment Hospital, Mersin, Turkey.
authors: Zeki
authors: Z
authors: Akca
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000145:classification*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents