title: Definitive chemoradiation for non-small-cell lung cancer: could a consensus be reached?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is currently no consensus as to which chemotherapy to combine with thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) in the setting of definitive chemoradiation for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and report outcome measures of cisplatin/etoposide with conventionally fractionated TRT over a 9-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cisplatin 50 mg/m² on days 1, 8, 29, and 36 and etoposide 50 mg/m² on days 1-5 and 29-33 with conventionally fractionated conformal radiation therapy starting on day 1 was given to 201 eligible patients. Patient records were reviewed for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 2-year OS and PFS were 53% and 47%, respectively, while the 3-year OS and PFS were 18% and 17%, respectively. No grade 4 or treatment-related deaths were recorded, and grade 3 hematologic toxicity occurred in only 22 patients (11%) in the form of granulocytopenia and thrombocytopenia. Multivariable analysis showed clinical stage and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status to statistically significantly affect PFS and OS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cisplatin and etoposide in these doses with conventionally fractionated TRT is a well-tolerated, effective treatment schedule in the definitive treatment of unresectable or inoperable NSCLC.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut - Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut - Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut - Egypt.
authors.forename: Mostafa E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Abdel-Wanis
authors.affiliation: Clinical Oncology Department, Assiut University, Assiut - Egypt.
authors.forename: Ola N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Abdel-Fatah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016896:Treatment Outcome