Development of treatment strategies in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (take home messages)

In the last decade combined modality treatment approaches contributed to the progress of therapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. With this management strategies younger patients (<70 years) with locally advanced disease and a good performance status (ECOG 0,1) have survival benefits compared to sole locoregional treatment. Further development of these treatment concepts is warranted. To adopt optimal tailored therapy to prognostic consistent patient groups exact staging of disease is mandatory. Moreover, refinements of the staging system would be helpful to identify in defined anatomical stages, patient subgroups who will benefit from systemic treatment options different from chemotherapy (i.e. tyrosine kinase-inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor family, anti-angiogenic treatment). The current status of developing treatment strategies in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer is discussed.