Sequential chemo-radiation versus radiation therapy in the treatment of stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

This study included 49 patients with unresectable stageIII non-small cell lung cancer. All the patients received radical radiotherapy; it was preceded by Cisplatinum-based combination chemotherapy [Cisplatinum-Etoposid or Cisplatinum-Gemcitabene] in 25 cases [51%]. The chemotherapy induced a favourable objective partial response [>50% reduction] in only 5 cases [20%]. The median total dose of radiation therapy was 56 GY with 1.8 GY/fraction and 5 fractions/week, a median delay of 10 days was recorded in the overall period of radiotherapy. The median planned target area for radiation therapy was 210 cm2. the above mentoned parameters were comparable in both treatment arms. The majority of our cases did not suffer severe treatment related toxicity. An overall objective response was recorded in 30 cases [61%] with 2 cases [4%] in complete response. The median overall survival was 11 months, the 1 and 2-year overall survival rates were 52% and 26% respectively. The above mentioned treatment results were comparable in both treatment arms. this study did not show significant superiority of sequential chemoradiation therapy over radiation therapy in the treatment of stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer