The role of multimodality therapy in locoregional non-small cell lung cancer

Surgical treatment is offered to all patients with stage I or II disease and to specific groups of patients with stage III or IV disease. Cisplatin based on regimens of induction chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy have proven to be valuable in stage IIIA (N2) disease. We now recommend induction therapy on an investigational basis to most patients with stage I or II tumors and to all those with stage IIIA tumors, when the 5 year survival is anticipated to be less than 50% with conventional therapy. Many new chemotherapy agents effective in advanced stage lung cancer are currently integrated into this multimodality approach in hopes of further improvement in tumor control and survival.