Surgical treatment of patients with N2 disease

Induction chemoradiation and surgical resection for non–small cell lung carcinomas of the superior sulcus: Initial results of Southwest Oncology Group Trial 9416 (Intergroup Trial 0160)

“…The success of induction chemotherapy and chemoradiation in the treatment of stage IIIa (N2) NSCLC has prompted interest in applying this approach to superior sulcus tumors. 31 A small phase II trial reported by Martínez-Monge and coworkers 15 suggested that induction chemotherapy and radiation might lead to improved results. From 1988 to 1992, 18 patients with either T3 or T4 NSCLC of the superior sulcus were treated with induction chemotherapy (mitomycin, vindesine, and cisplatin or carboplatin) for 1 to 3 cycles followed by combined chemotherapy and radiation (total doses of 46 to 50 Gy) and then surgical resection.…”

Concurrent Radiochemotherapy with Ifosfamide in Unresectable Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

“…One reason for the poor treatment outcome is the high rate of distant metastasis. 50-80% of patients with stage III NSCLC developed distant metastases during or shortly after treatment [8,9]. This fact demonstrates the need for systemic therapy in these patients.…”

Concurrent Radiochemotherapy with Ifosfamide in Locally Advanced Unresectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

“…The 5-year survival rate is still in the range of 5-10% [1]. One reason for the poor treatment outcome is the high rate of distant metastases [2]. Recently a meta-analysis showed that the combination of radio-and chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced disease yielded a gain in survival.…”