A Randomized Trial of Induction Chemotherapy plus High-Dose Radiation versus Radiation Alone in Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

In patients with Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer, induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and vinblastine before radiation significantly improves median survival (by about four months) and doubles the number of long-term survivors, as compared with radiation therapy alone. Since three quarters of the patients still die within three years, however, further improvements in systemic and local therapy are needed.