High-Dose Radiotherapy as Neoadjuvant Treatment in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Trimodality therapy (chemoradiation followed by surgery) provides a benefit in progression-free survival but not overall survival. We sought to determine if a high dose of radiation could be delivered safely and provide a clinical benefit.

Consecutive patients with stage IIIA or IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery were reviewed with IRB approval.

A total of 48 patients were treated from November 2007 to May 2014. Of these, 64% had stage IIIA disease while 36% had stage IIIB; 46% had adenocarcinoma, 34% squamous, and 23% NSCLC not otherwise specified. The median dose of chemoradiotherapy was 72 Gy (60-72). Overall, 86% of patients received cisplatin (50 mg/m2) and etoposide (50 mg/m2) concurrently with radiotherapy; 72% of patients underwent lobectomy following chemoradiotherapy and 28% underwent pneumonectomy. The 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0%. The nodal downstaging rate was 82% and there was a 64% rate of pathologic complete response. The overall survival was 29.9 months (95% CI, 19-86 months). The median time to locoregional progression was 35.1 months and the median time to distant progression was 39.3 months. Locoregional failure was 8% and distant failure was 44%.

High-dose preoperative chemoradiotherapy was safe and effective. This combination should be further considered.