Concomitant 5-fluorouracil infusion and high-dose radiation for stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Thirty patients with Stage III non-small cell lung cancer were entered on a trial to evaluate the feasibility of combined radiation and concomitant 5-fluorouracil infusion. Patients had received prior debulking surgery (nine), induction chemotherapy (16), or no therapy (five). Radiation employed standard fractionation (180-200 rad/day) administered to a median cumulative dose of 5500 rad (range, 4500-6200 rad). 5-Fluorouracil was infused 24 hours per day throughout the period of radiation at a dose of 300 mg/m2/day for a median of 42 days (range, 28-56 days). Radiation complications included pneumonitis three of 30 (10%) and esophagitis (27%). Chemotherapy complications included stomatitis, two of 27 (7%), and hand-foot syndrome, three of 30 (10%). Treatment interruptions were necessary in six of 30 (20%) and four of 30 required parenteral nutrition. At a median follow-up of 12 months 26/30 (87%) maintained local control and eight had distant metastases (three of whom presented with Stage IV disease). 5-Fluorouracil delivered continuously throughout standard fractionation radiation to high cumulative doses is feasible and practical. Comparative clinical trials of the various combined radiation and chemotherapy schedules employed are in order. One additional clinical observation was the identification of six of 30 (20%) with brain metastases at presentation or after 12 months, all of whom had adenocarcinoma histologic subtype.