Sequential combination of 5-fluorouracil, cis-platinum and irradiation in unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

Twenty patients with unresectable non-small cell lung carcinoma, 15 stage III and 5 stage IV (supraclavicular lymphadenopathy) were treated with a combination of three courses of chemotherapy and hypofractionated irradiation followed after 3 weeks by split-course radiotherapy. Each course was repeated every 3 weeks with the following sequence. Cis-platin (CDDP) (20 mg/m2) was given in a 20-min infusion, followed by a 2-h infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (400 mg/m2) on days 1, 2, 5 and 6. Radiation with a dose of 3 Gy on the target volume was given on days 3 and 4, after a 2-h infusion of 5-FU (400 mg/m2). Split course of irradiation consisted of 16 Gy in 5 fractions repeated after 3 weeks interval. The objective response rate was 75%. Median follow-up was 24 months, the median survival was 14 months. The 1-year survival was 53% and the 2-year survival was 16%.