Late course conformal radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:To observe the effect and acute toxicity of late course conformal radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods: Total of patients with stage Ⅲ NSCLC received late course conformal radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The radiotheraphy consisted of two phases,40Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks as the first phase using conventional technique,and then 30Gy in 10 fractions over 2 weeks as the second phase using conformal radiation technique. Chemotherapy consisted of navelbine and cisplatin,3 weeks a cycle.Results: All 53 patients completed the therapeutic planned regimen and reached CR in 5 cases, PR in 39 cases, (CR+PR) in 83.0%.1-year and 2 -year survival rates were 81%,42%,local control rates of 1-year and 2-year were 85%、46 %.In all cases, 16 had grade I-II radiation pneumonitis, 1 had grade Ⅲ pneumonitis,26 had grade I-II radiation esophagitis, 1 had grade Ⅲ esophagitis. Conclusion: Late course conformal radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy for stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer can improve the local control rate and survival rate and complications were well tolerated.