STAGE III A & B NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

RATIONALE OF CONCOMITANT CHEMORADIOTHERAPY FOLLOWED BY CONSOLIDATION CHEMOTHERAPY AND PROPHYLACTIC CRANIAL IRRADIATION

Abstract

Stage IIIA Non- Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is characterized by the presence of ipsilateral mediastinal and / or sub carinal nodal involvement (N2) associated with a T1 or T2 primary lesion or a T3 lesion associated either with positive hilar nodes (N1) or with N2 nodal disease. Stage IIIB disease is characterized by scalene, supra-clavicular, contra lateral mediastinal, or contralateral hilar lymph node involvement (N3) associated with any T category or a T4 primary tumor associated with any N category1. Patients with stage IIIA disease can be stratified into those with bulky and nonbulky disease, based upon the presence of lymph nodes >2 cm in short-axis diameter, or groupings of multiple smaller lymph nodes 2. Patients with bulky stage IIIA or those with stage IIIB disease are generally considered inoperable.