Outcomes of concurrent radiotherapy with weekly docetaxel and platinum-based chemotherapy in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Purpose: The present study evaluated the outcomes of concurrent weekly docetaxel and platinum-based drug doublet in association with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TR) in the curative treatment of stage III locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients and methods: Patients with stage IIIA/B NSCLC were retrospectively included. Patients received weekly docetaxel and either cisplatin or carboplatin intravenous injections during concurrent TR (60 to 66Gy). Patients who received induction chemotherapy with the same drug doublet were also included. The endpoints were: disease control rate (DCR), overall recurrence rate, survival rates [disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS)] and toxicity.

Results: Eighty-nine consecutive patients treated with this association were included. Median follow-up time was 57.8 months. DCR was 76.5% at the first follow-up CT scan (6 to 12 weeks after the end of concurrent treatment). Median DFS and OS was 14.3 and 29.9 months respectively. Three-year survival was 43%. The overall recurrence rate was 65.9%. During overall treatment, grade 3 to 4 adverse events occurred in 29.2% of patients, the most common being esophagitis (12.4% of patients). Only 13.5% of patients presented with a grade 3 or higher adverse event after the end of concurrent treatment.

Conclusions: Weekly docetaxel and platinum-based drug doublet combined with TR yielded promising results in stage III NSCLC, with high survival rates. The toxicity of this association is acceptable, with mainly manageable esophagitis. These findings warrant validation in a prospective study before considering this association for standard of care.

Keywords: Cancer du poumon; Lung neoplasm; Medical oncology; Oncologie médicale; Radiotherapy; Radiothérapie.