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Regional immunotherapy has a detrimental effect on the response to combined irradiation and chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma

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Summary

Twenty-one patients with stage III M0 non-oat cell bronchogenic carcinoma confined to the thorax were randomized to receive either intrapleural BCG (107 cfu, Tice strain) or intrapleural saline 3 weeks prior to beginning combined irradiation and chemotherapy. Radiation to the primary tumor and regional nodes was given at a dose of 3,000 rad in ten sessions and was followed in 7–14 days by CAMP chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, methotrexate, and procarbazine) for a planned duration of 6 months. Isoniazid, 300 mg/day, was given to all patients for 3 months starting 1 week after intrapleural therapy. There were no significant differences in pretreatment prognostic factors or in response to radiation therapy. The patients receiving intrapleural BCG in addition to radiation and chemotherapy had a median survival of 18 weeks, significantly shorter than that for the patients receiving intrapleural saline (54 weeks, P=0.017).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, 12208, Albany, NY

    John C. Ruckdeschel, Carl DeVore, Richard Caradonna & John Horton

  2. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, 12208, Albany, NY

    Martin F. McKneally, Sarah Kellar & Joseph B. McIlduff

  3. Department of Radiation Therapy, Albany Medical College, 12208, Albany, NY

    Donald H. Baxter

  4. Department of Radiology, Albany Medical College, 12208, Albany, NY

    Donald Killam

  5. Department of Mathematics, State University of New York at Albany, 12222, Albany, New York, USA

    Nel Sedransk

Authors
  1. John C. Ruckdeschel
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  2. Martin F. McKneally
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  3. Donald H. Baxter
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  4. Carl DeVore
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  5. Sarah Kellar
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  6. Donald Killam
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  7. Richard Caradonna
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  8. Nel Sedransk
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  9. Joseph B. McIlduff
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  10. John Horton
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Ruckdeschel, J.C., McKneally, M.F., Baxter, D.H. et al. Regional immunotherapy has a detrimental effect on the response to combined irradiation and chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell bronchogenic carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 11, 277–282 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00198972

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00198972

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