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

Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment remains challenging, with a multitude of treatment options available. We assessed Stage IIIA NSCLC outcomes by treatment received.

We performed a single-institution retrospective review of NSCLC patients with Stage IIIA disease treated January 01, 2010-March 01, 2022. Demographics, treatments, outcomes, and failure patterns were collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Failure patterns were assessed for differences using chi-square analysis.

Of 270 Stage III NSCLC patients, 134 had Stage IIIA disease with a median follow-up of 29.9 months and a median age of 66 years (IQR 60-75). 66 (49.3%) patients were male, and 105 (78.4%) were current/former smokers (with 30 median pack-years). Patients were treated with definitive radiation with/without chemotherapy (CRT; n = 77, 57.5%), surgery with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation (Neoadj; n = 42, 31.3%), and surgery without neoadjuvant therapy (Surg; n = 15, 11.2%). Median PFS was 25.4 months (95% CI 12.5-42.6) for CRT, 22.6 months (95% CI 12.2-44.4) for Neoadj, and 22.8 months (95% CI 5.2-NA) for Surg with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.99). Median OS was 57.0 months (95% CI 37.4-77.5) for CRT, 51.5 months (95% CI 36.7-65.5) for Neoadj, and 35.3 months (95% CI 16.8-NR) for Surg with no significant intergroup difference (p = 0.99).

In this single institution retrospective study, we find no significant differences in PFS, OS, and failure patterns between patients with Stage IIIA NSCLC treated with definitive (chemo)radiation and surgery with or without neoadjuvant therapy. Further work in the immunotherapy era is needed.