title: From chemotherapy to target therapies associated with radiation in the treatment of NSCLC: a durable marriage?
abstract: The integration between radiotherapy and drugs, from chemotherapy to recently available target therapies, continues to have a relevant role in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Aim of the present review is to evaluate the promising and emerging application of the best interaction between new drugs and new modalities of radiotherapy. Areas covered: We searched Medline, Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertation, and Theses databases for reports published in English. A study was included when it reported on cancer-related radiotherapy and included patients with NSCLC treated with chemo and/or target therapies. Review articles were excluded from the analysis. Expert commentary: Chemo-radiotherapy still represents the standard of choice in locally advanced NSCLC, while to date the addition of target therapies to chemo-radiotherapy did not demonstrate any robust advantage in this stage of disease. Considering the absence of randomized controlled trials, the role of target therapies in early stage adjuvant NSCLC is not yet recommended in clinical practice. On the contrary, in the setting of oligometastatic and oligoprogressive disease, new molecules demonstrated to be safe and effective, opening to a promising and emerging application of the best interaction between new drugs and new modalities of radiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: a Radiation Oncology , Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Cancer Care Center , Negrar, Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alongi
authors.affiliation: b Radiation Oncology , San Camillo and Forlanini Hospital , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arcangeli
authors.affiliation: c Department of Radiotherapy , Campus Bio-Medico University , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramella
authors.affiliation: a Radiation Oncology , Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Cancer Care Center , Negrar, Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: Niccolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giaj-Levra
authors.affiliation: d Department of Radiation Oncology , Spedali Civili of Brescia , Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borghetti
authors.affiliation: c Department of Radiotherapy , Campus Bio-Medico University , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Rolando
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'angelillo
authors.affiliation: a Radiation Oncology , Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Cancer Care Center , Negrar, Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricchetti
authors.affiliation: d Department of Radiation Oncology , Spedali Civili of Brescia , Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maddalo
authors.affiliation: a Radiation Oncology , Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Cancer Care Center , Negrar, Verona , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.affiliation: e Radiation Oncology Department , CRO Aviano , Aviano , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trovò
authors.affiliation: f Department of Radiation Oncology , S. Croce University Hospital , Cuneo , Italy.
authors.forename: Elvio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Radiation Oncology , Spedali Civili of Brescia , Brescia , Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Magrini
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Lung cancer; early stage; locally advanced; oligometastatic; radiotherapy; target therapies