Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment and Outcomes: A Single Institution Retrospective Analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Thoracic Surgery
• Radiation Oncology

Background:

• Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) presents a complex treatment landscape with varied therapeutic options.
• Optimizing treatment strategies for Stage IIIA NSCLC is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare outcomes for Stage IIIA NSCLC patients based on the specific treatment modality received.
• To analyze progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and failure patterns across different treatment groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 134 Stage IIIA NSCLC patients treated between 2010 and 2022 at a single institution.
• Data collected included demographics, treatment details (definitive chemoradiation, neoadjuvant therapy with surgery, surgery alone), outcomes, and failure patterns.
• Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for PFS and OS assessment; chi-square analysis for failure patterns.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences in median PFS (25.4 months for CRT, 22.6 for Neoadj, 22.8 for Surg) or median OS (57.0 months for CRT, 51.5 for Neoadj, 35.3 for Surg) were observed between treatment groups.
• The study included 134 patients with a median follow-up of 29.9 months; the majority were male and current/former smokers.
• Failure patterns did not show significant intergroup differences.

Conclusions:

• This retrospective study found no significant differences in survival outcomes or failure patterns for Stage IIIA NSCLC patients treated with definitive (chemo)radiation versus surgery-based approaches (with or without neoadjuvant therapy).
• The findings suggest that current treatment modalities may offer comparable efficacy for this patient population.
• Future research should explore novel therapeutic strategies, particularly in the context of immunotherapy, for Stage IIIA NSCLC.