New radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy approaches for non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Recent advances in systemic cytotoxic and molecularly targeted therapies coupled with technologic strides in radiotherapy have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Investigations are ongoing to identify optimal cytotoxin-based chemoradiotherapy platforms. The influence of specific histologic and molecular mutation status on the combination of targeted therapies and radiotherapy is also being actively studied. Although there are no convincing randomized phase III data to date supporting a survival advantage for combining molecularly targeted agents with radiation or chemoradiotherapy in the setting of locally advanced NSCLC, phase II and III studies targeted to elderly patients and those with poor performance status are elucidating preferred chemoradiotherapy strategies. Radiotherapy dose escalation did not improve chemoradiotherapy outcomes, although increasing radiation dose-intensity with modern techniques is being actively studied. As modern radiotherapy techniques have been shown to improve outcomes of some patients with limited metastatic disease, investigations are ongoing regarding how to optimally integrate them with standard chemotherapy platforms.