CONCURRENT RADIOTHERAPY AND CHEMOTHERAPY FOR LOCALLY ADVANCED NON-SMALL-CELL CANCER OF THE LUNG - REPORT OF A CLINICAL-TRIAL AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

A prospective nonrandomized phase II study was begun in 1985 using concurrent split-course radiation and chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced non-small-cell cancer of the lung. Patients were treated with 3,000 cGy of radiation in 15 fractions to the chest, together with 100 mg/m2 cisplatin on day 1 and 1,000 mg/m2/day 5-fluorouracil infusion on days 1-4. The radiation and chemotherapy were then repeated after a 1-week break. Twenty-one patients were treated, with five patients having a complete response and nine patients having a partial response for an overall response rate of 67%. With a minimum of 24 months follow-up, five patients remain alive. Median survival for the entire group is 11.6 months. The toxicity of the treatment regimen was acceptable. These results do not differ significantly from survivals of similar patients treated with radiation alone, including a series from our own institution. The literature on concurrent chemotherapy and radiation is reviewed and possible future approaches to this tumor are discussed.