Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer

Surgical therapy remains the only curative treatment of localized non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Yet, the results of surgical therapy leave much to be desired. Recently, neoadjuvant chemotherapy for Stage III NSCLC had become an accepted therapeutic modality. Accordingly, a question is raised regarding the feasibility of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in resectable NSCLC (Stage I and II). In this paper we report three patients, in chronological order, with localized NSCLC who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given to the first case with poor pulmonary functions. Decrease in size of the tumor made it possible for him to undergo a more conservative lung resection. In the second case, chemotherapy was given with a presumptive diagnosis of metastatic lung lesion. A good response was noted and, histologically, it was a primary lung cancer. In the third case, chemotherapy was given to a patient with obviously resectable lung carcinoma, and an excellent response was observed. According to the results, neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable NSCLC may be feasible and beneficial.