Postoperative radiotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer: update of an individual patient data meta-analysis

We report an updated systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of the effectiveness of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in non-small-cell lung cancer. Results continue to show PORT to be detrimental, with an 18% relative increase in the risk of death. Similar detriments were observed for local recurrence-free survival, distant recurrence-free survival and overall recurrence-free survival. There continues to be evidence that the effects of PORT are more harmful in those patients with stage I disease than those with stage II disease.