Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the clinical effect of gemcitabine and concurrent three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
From April 2002 to June 2005, 38 patients with inoperable stage III NSCLC were treated with gemcitabine and 3D-CRT simultaneously. Chemotherapy consisted of intravenously gemcitabine 350 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36. 3D-CRT was delivered up to a total dose of 60–64 Gy with a 2.0 Gy dose fraction per day, 5 days per week.
Results
The overall response rates of primary tumor and mediastinum metastatic node were 86.8% (33/38) and 90.6% (29/32) respectively, and 91.7% (22/24) and 78.6% (11/14) for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma respectively. The acute side effects of patients were mostly myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting, radiation-induced esophagitis and pneumonitis (RTOG I/II), however, all of them were cured.
Conclusion
Concurrent application of gemcitabine and 3D-CRT can improve the overall response rate for locally advanced NSCLC without aggravating the side effects.
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Cheng, J., Wu, G., Wu, H. et al. Clinical observation of gemcitabine and concomitant three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chin. -Ger. J. Clin. Oncol. 7, 311–314 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-008-0008-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10330-008-0008-0