A phase ii study of concurrent accelerated hyperfractionated radiotherapy and carboplatin/oral etoposide for elderly patients with stage iii non-small-cell lung cancer

Concurrent Radiochemotherapy with Vinorelbine plus Cisplatin or Carboplatin in Patients with Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and an Increased Risk of Treatment Complications

“…Compared to earlier data, this is significantly better than the survival rates of 9-10 months achieved with radiation therapy alone [22]. By contrast, Jeremic et al [12], who treated patients > 70 years with concurrent radiochemotherapy, found that the prognosis of patients with a Karnofsky performance status of 70-80 or weight loss of > 5% was much worse than that of old patients without other risks (median survival: 8 vs. 22 months). However, these results are not comparable to ours since all of their patients were > 70 years of age.…”

Platinum drugs in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

“…The NSCLCCG meta-analysis confirmed the survival benefit provided by giving cisplatinbased chemotherapy before radiotherapy over radiotherapy alone (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Collaborative Group, 1995). Although it is standard to use induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy, there are some arguments favouring concurrent chemoradiation using chemotherapy at systemic dosages (Eberhardt et al, 1998;Jeremic et al, 1999) or at radiosensitising dosages (Trovo et al, 1992;Schaake-Koning et al, 1994;Bardet et al, 1997;Clamon et al, 1999). These two different treatment modalities have been studied in a number of promising phase II trials but there are very limited data from positive randomised phase III trials (Schaake-Koning et al, 1994;Furuse et al, 1999).…”

Stage-III NSCLC: multimodality therapy for inoperable tumours

“…As well, Hainsworth and Vokes [55] reported that weekly docetaxel with 36 mg/m 2 /week was feasible in these elderly patients, with a 19% objective response rate and a 1-year survival of 28%. In contrast to this, Jeremic et al [56], who treated patients older than 70 years with simultaneous radiochemotherapy, found a significantly poorer prognosis in patients with a Karnofsky index of 70-80 or a weight loss of more than 5% in comparison with risk patients (median survival time 8 months vs. 22 months). Movsas et al [57] demonstrated a shorter symptom-free time period as well as survival time for therapy-intensified protocols in risk patients, all in comparison to radiation alone.…”