17036 Background: To investigate the role of weekly chemotherapy with paclitaxel/cisplatin and concurrent thoracic radiation (RT) as neoadjuvant therapy before surgical resection for patients with N2-IIIA NSCLC. Methods: Patients with pathologically proven N2 (pN2) and operable stage IIIA NSCLC were eligible. Six weekly chemotherapy with paclitaxel (50 mg/m2)/cisplatin (20 mg/m2) was given with concurrent thoracic RT (1.8 Gy/fraction once a day, 45 Gy) during 5 weeks. Chest CT, whole body PET were checked before and 3 weeks after chemoradiation. For the patients without clearing pN2 nodes or with pT3 after surgical resection, boost RT (20 Gy) was given. Results: From Jan. 2002 to Nov. 2005, 38 patients were enrolled. Median follow-up time was 20 months: gender (male: female, 30:8,), age (median 56, 42–67). Of them, 31 patients underwent surgical resection. Three patients showed brain metastasis during chmoradiation. Two patients refused surgical resection after chemoradiation. One patient showed severe radiation pneumonitis and was not fit for the operation. One patient showed lung to lung metastases before surgical resection. Of the 31 patients who underwent surgical resection, 14 (45.2%) showed pN0–1, and 7 (22.6%) showed pathologic complete remission (CR). Three year overall survival rate of all patients was 37.7% (median 35.9 months) and 3 year progression free survival was 34.2% (median 18 months). In univariate analysis, clearing N2 node and pathologic CR after surgery were the factors that could predict long-term survival. And the 2nd PET after chemoradiaiton could not expect clearing N2 nodes after surgical resection: sensitivity 44%, specificity 46%. As toxicities of WTP, hypersensivity reaction to paclitaxel and pneumonia with neutropenia were noted in 1 patient each. Severe radiation pneumonits was noted in 4 (of them 3 were given 65 Gy). Conclusions: WTP followed by surgical resection for N2-stage IIIA NSCLC was feasible. Clearing N2 nodes or pathologic CR after surgical resection were the factors of long-term survival. The usefulness of 2nd PET to expect the clearing N2 nodes was not adequate. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Molecular Markers for Long-term Survival in Stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC Patients