The Value of Induction Chemotherapy for Survival in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Radiotherapy

• Published in: Anticancer research 2012, Vol.32 (4), p.1339-1346
• Main Authors: HOLGERSSON, Georg, SANDELIN, Martin, HOLGERSSON, Margareta, LUNDSTRÖM, Kristina Lamberg, JANSON, Christer, EKBERG, Lars, MORTH, Charlotte, BLYSTAD, Thomas, EWERS, Sven-Börje, LÖDEN, Britta, BERGQVIST, Michael, HOYE, Even, BERGSTRÖM, Stefan, HENRIKSSON, Roger, EKMAN, Simon, NYMAN, Jan, HELSING, Martin, FRIESLAND, Signe, BRODIN, Ola
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: age; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Cancer and Oncology; Cancer och onkologi; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - radiotherapy; Clinical Medicine; Combined Modality Therapy; drug therapy; Female; Humans; Klinisk medicin; lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; MEDICIN; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; MEDICINE; Middle Aged; Non-Small-Cell Lung; NSCLC; Pneumology; predictive value; radiotherapy; Survival Analysis; therapeutic use; Tumors; Tumors of the respiratory system and mediastinum
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530; 1791-7530

The aim of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the impact of induction chemotherapy on treatment outcome in patients treated with curatively intended radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with a diagnosed NSCLC that have been subjected to curatively intended irradiation (≥50 Gy) and treated in an oncology department in Sweden during the years 1990-2000 were included in the study. Operated patients and patients having received concomitant chemotherapy were excluded. The included patients were localised by a manual search of all the oncology departments' medical records and radiation charts. Patients treated with induction chemotherapy (n=79) had a significantly better overall survival compared with patients treated with radiotherapy alone (p=0.0097) in a univariate Cox regression analysis. A platinum/taxane combination produced the greatest survival benefit; hazard ratio=0.49 (95% confidence interval=0.31 to 0.75). We found that patients treated with induction chemotherapy in addition to radiotherapy for NSCLC have a better overall survival than patients treated with radiotherapy alone and that the best results are achieved using a platinum/taxane combination.