Trimodality therapy for lung cancer with chest wall invasion: initial results of a phase II study

The chest wall is the most common neighboring structure involved by locally advanced lung cancers. However, the optimal treatment strategy for such tumors has not been established. This phase II trial was therefore conducted with the aim of evaluating whether induction chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery improves the survival of patients with T3N0 or T3N1 lung cancer involving the chest wall.

Patients with resectable T3N0 or T3N1 non-small cell lung cancer involving the chest wall were candidates for this study. Induction therapy consisted of two cycles of cisplatin and vinorelbine chemotherapy concurrent with 40 Gy of radiation. Surgical resection was performed 3 to 6 weeks after the last day of chemotherapy.

From January 2009 to November 2012, 51 eligible patients (40 stage IIB and 11 stage IIIA tumors) were entered in this study. Induction therapy was completed as planned in 49 (96%) patients, and 25 (51%) had a partial response revealed on computed tomography. Forty-eight patients underwent pulmonary resection combined with chest wall resection, and 44 (92%) underwent a complete resection. Pathologic examinations of the resected specimens revealed no viable tumor cells in 12 (25%) cases and minimal residual disease in 31 (65%) cases. Five patients experienced major postoperative complications, and 1 patient died of postoperative exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia.

The initial results of this study showed the treatment regimen to be safe and feasible with a high rate of a pathologic response for patients with lung cancer involving the chest wall in a multiinstitutional setting.