title: Should salvage surgery be considered for local recurrence after definitive chemoradiation in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Incidence of local relapse after definitive chemoradiation (>59 Gy) for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is high, irrespective of high dose radiation applied. Experience with salvage lung resections in patients with locally relapsed NSCLC after definitive chemoradiation is limited. We present our series of salvage lung resections for local NSCLC relapse after curative-intent chemoradiation for locally advanced tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine consecutive patients with local tumor recurrence or persistence following definitive chemoradiation were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to assess patient survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients received definitive radiation (median dose 66.2 Gy) with concurrent chemotherapy. Tumor stage prior to chemoradiation was IIIA in 8 patients and IV in 1. In 4 patients tumor invaded the chest wall, in 2 the spine and in 1 the aorta. Median interval between chemoradiation and salvage resection was 30.2 weeks. Nine patients underwent 9 resections (6 lobectomies, 1 bilobectomy, 1 pneumonectomy and 1 bi-segmentectomy). One death occurred on the 12th postoperative day. Median overall survival was 23 months; postoperative 3-year survival was 47 %. Median progression-free survival was 21 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salvage lung resection for locally recurrent or persisted NSCLC in selected patients with locally advanced NSCLC following definitive chemoradiation is a worthwhile treatment option.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. waldemar.schreiner@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schreiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. wojciech.dudek@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dudek
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. sebastian.lettmaier@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lettmaier
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. rainer.fietkau@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fietkau
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany. horia.sirbu@uk-erlangen.de.
authors.forename: Horia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirbu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome