CONCURRENT CARBOPLATIN (CBDCA), VINDESINE (VDS) AND RADIOTHERAPY IN STAGE-III NON-SMALL-CELL LUNG-CANCER (NSCLC)

Aims: Aim of the study was to test, in a cooperative and prospective trial, the effectiveness and feasibility of chemoradio-therapy program in stage III non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: The schedule consisted in carboplatin (CBDCA) 150 mg/m2/iv on days 1, 3, 5 and vindesine VDS 2.5 mg/m2/iv on days 1, 8, 15, 22 every 4 weeks for 2 cycles followed by radiotherapy 60 Gy with CBDCA 50 mg/m2 weekly as radioenhancer. The same schedule was proposed as neoadjuvant treatment in 10/47 patients (stage III A) and as exclusive treatment in 37/47 (stage III B) admitted patients. Results, in the neoadjuvant subgroup partial remission was obtained in 5/10 patients, and 3 of them underwent surgery with consequent CR. In the stage III B subgroup, 2 complete remissions were obtained (survival 14 and 9+ months). Toxicity was mild. Conclusions: Our results confirm the feasibility of the schedule in stage III NSCLC.