In a nutshell
The current study examined whether targeted radiotherapy benefited survival in patients with stage 3 (spread to the lymph nodes) non-small cell lung cancer. The authors found that 3-dimensional (3D) conformal radiotherapy was associated with increased survival rates in these patients.
Some background
Many lung cancers are not diagnosed until they are advanced (spread to the lymph nodes or beyond the lung). Surgery can offer some local control of the disease. Radiation therapy can also be of benefit, but can be difficult to direct only to the area of the tumor. This can cause damage to the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor.
Newer radiation therapy techniques can use 3D technology to match the radiation beam to the exact shape of the tumor. This type of therapy should benefit local control of the cancer, but it is not clear whether it can improve survival rates.
Methods & findings
The current study explored whether 3D radiation techniques improved survival in patients with stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer.
This study examined the records of 13, 292 patients who underwent chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the same time. 10% of patients were treated with the 3D radiation technique, and 88.2% were treated with more conventional radiation techniques.
2-year overall survival (time from treatment until death from any cause) was 33% in patients receiving 3D radiation, compared to 28% of those receiving conventional radiation. 5-year overall survival was 14% among 3D radiation patients, and 11% among conventional radiation patients.
Overall, after accounting for multiple factors, 3D radiation was found to be associated with an 11% reduction in the risk of death, compared to conventional radiation.
The bottom line
This study concluded that 3D radiation therapy was associated with an increase in survival when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
What’s next?
Discuss radiation therapy options with your doctor.
Published By :
Cancer
Date :
Apr 01, 2014
