Phase II trial with carboplatin/gemcitabine induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy concomitantly with paclitaxel/gemcitabine in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

7139 Background: The optimal combination of concomitant thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) and CT in stage III unresectable NSCLC remains unclear. The role of induction CT with Cb/G regimen, less toxic than Cisplatin/G, has not been established in stage III NSCLC. Methods: Forty-two patients (pts), 41 evaluable, entered this trial between January 2003 and November 2004, 27 males, 14 females, median age 60 (37–70), 19 pts with ECOG PS 0, 22 pts with PS 1, 22 pts with stage III A (N2), and 19 pts with stage III B (N2, N3). They received Cb AUC 5 i.v. on day 1 and G 1000 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 + 8 every three weeks x 2 cycles, followed on day 50 by TRT, 60 Gy over 6 weeks, concomitantly with P 50 mg/m2 i.v. and G 100 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 + 8 every three weeks x 2 cycles. Results: After induction CT, partial response (PR) was 73.1% (30 pts), stable disease (SD) 24.4% (10 pts), and 2.5% (1 pt) had progressive disease. After TRT and P/G, 19.5% (8 pts) had CR, 75.6% (31 pts) PR, and 4.9% (2 pts) PD. Median time-to-diseas...