[Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer]

To evaluate the immediate efficacy and acute toxicity of cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy followed by weekly concomitant chemoradiotherapy and concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in unresectable stage III NSCLC.

A total of 118 patients were pathologically diagnosed as stage III N SCLC. Among them, 77 patients (A group) received two cycles of cisplatin-based induction chemotherapy, followed by 6 weekly cycles of paclitaxel 45 mg/m(2) (n = 45) and gemcitabine 350 mg/m(2) (n = 32) in combination with thoracic radiotherapy; 41 patients (B group) received concomitant chemoradiotherapy (cisplatin 50 mg/m(2), d1, 8, 29, 36/etoposide 50 mg/m(2), d1-5, 29-33, n = 18, paclitaxel 45 mg/m(2)/weekly × 6/carboplatin AUC = 2/weekly × 6, n = 23) followed by consolidation chemotherapy. All thoracic radiotherapy dose are 2 Gy per fraction and day to a total dose of 58-60 Gy.

The total response rate of A and B groups was 80.5% and 75.6% respectively (P = 0.534). According to subgroup analyses, no statistically significant differences existed according to chemotherapy (P = 0.557). The main side-effects were neutropenia, radiation esophagitis, radiation pneumonitis and nausea/vomiting. The gemcitabine group was statistically significant different in neutropenia.

Different chemotherapeutic agents in combination with thoracic radiotherapy are clinically feasible with a moderate toxicity. Their profiles of efficacy and toxicity are comparable to each other.