Scientific publications
Combined treatment in superior sulcus tumors
Martínez-Monge R., Herreros J., Aristu J.J., Aramendía J.M., Azinovic I.
Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Universidad de Navarra, Spain
From January 1988 to August 1992, 18 patients (pts) with the established diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer of the superior sulcus have been treated with a multidisciplinary approach, which includes 1-3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (MVP or MCP regimens) followed by simultaneous preoperative chemotherapy and external beam irradiation. Radical surgery plus intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) was planned 4-5 weeks after the end of the preoperative protocol.
Tumor stages were IIIA (9 pts) and IIIB (9 pts). Tumor characteristics included rib and vertebral involvement in 15 and 4 pts, respectively. Fatal toxicity was present in 3 pts (16.6%). Resectability rate was 76.4%. Pathologic findings disclosed complete response (pT0) in 70.5% of the surgical specimens and viable tumor (pT+) in 29.5%. With a median follow-up of 24+ months (2-52+), 4-year actuarial local control, and overall survival rates are 91% and 56.2%, respectively. Four-year actuarial overall survival according to pathologic response was 87.5% for pT0 patients and 20% for pT+ patients.
We conclude that this regimen promotes a high rate of pT0 as well as better than expected local control and survival rates. The presence of a pT0 specimen seems to correlate with the patient outcome.
CITATION Am J Clin Oncol. 1994 Aug;17(4):317-22
