Is control of the primary tumour worthwhile in non-oat cell carcinoma of the bronchus?

In the United Kingdom most patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer are given treatment with palliative intent only, even when there is a good performance status and an absence of evidence for distant metastasis. It has, however, been shown that after radical radiotherapy prolonged survival can result, but only when complete regression of tumour is achieved. Research has, therefore, been directed toward an increase in primary tumour control. In pilot studies a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy has given improvement in tumour clearance and survival. Another approach has been to use a short intensive course of radiotherapy in which three treatments are given each day for 12 consecutive days--Continuous, Hyperfractionated, Accelerated Radiotherapy (CHART); an increase in local tumour control and survival has been shown in a comparison with the results achieved in previous cases. CHART and the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy are both the subject of multicentre randomized controlled trials in the United Kingdom. Patients with locally advanced non-small cell carcinoma of the bronchus should be considered for entry into these studies.