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Induction chemotherapy for resectable non-small-cell lung cancer
Jyoti D Patel1, Matthew G Blum, Athanassios Argiris
1Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA. jd-patel@northwestern.edu
Oncology (Williston Park, N.Y.)
|January 15, 2005
Summary
Preoperative chemotherapy, or induction chemotherapy, may improve survival for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients by treating micrometastatic disease early. Ongoing trials investigate its role in multimodality treatment for NSCLC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Medical Oncology
Background:
- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the US.
- Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises 85% of lung cancer cases.
- Despite surgery, long-term survival for operable NSCLC is poor, with frequent relapses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the potential survival benefit of induction chemotherapy (preoperative chemotherapy) in NSCLC.
- To explore the early treatment of micrometastatic disease before surgery.
- To investigate the role of induction therapy in multimodality treatment strategies for NSCLC.
Main Methods:
- Review of multiple randomized trials evaluating induction chemotherapy regimens.
- Investigation of chemotherapy alone or combined with radiotherapy for stage IIIA NSCLC.
- Ongoing randomized trials to define optimal induction therapy protocols.
Main Results:
- Postoperative adjuvant therapy has demonstrated a survival benefit in NSCLC.
- Early trials of induction therapy have yielded encouraging results.
- Induction chemotherapy aims to improve survival by addressing micrometastatic disease.
Conclusions:
- Induction chemotherapy is a promising strategy to improve survival in NSCLC.
- Further randomized trials are necessary to establish the definitive role of induction therapy.
- Multimodality treatment, including induction therapy, is under active investigation for NSCLC.