[Combined modality treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer]

Abstract

Unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprised a heterogeneous group. According to the policy of evidence-based medicine, the literature on combined modality treatment of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer was reviewed. Several prospective randomized trials demonstrate a survival advantage to combined modality treatment over radiotherapy or chemotherapy alone when a cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen is utilized in the treatment plan. Combined modality treatment of cisplatin-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy is standard treatment for patients who met eligibility criteria of clinical trials. It is suggested that concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy is more efficacious in terms of response rate and survival than chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Determining the contribution of new agents in combined modality treatment will require carefully designed and conducted clinical trials.