Ion therapy within the trimodal management of superior sulcus tumors: the INKA trial.

Background: The standard trimodal treatment concept in locally advanced and non-metastasized non-small-cell superior sulcus tumors consists of a preoperative chemoradiation followed by surgical resection. High linear energy transfer (LET) radiation as, for example, C12 heavy-ion beam therapy theoretically offers biological advantages compared to high energy x-ray therapy as, for example, higher biological efficiency.

Methods/design: In the present prospective, single-armed, open pilot study performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) in Heidelberg, the radiation treatment within the standard trimodal concept will be exchanged against C12 heavy-ion beam treatment and apply 39GyE in 13 single fractions in combination with a chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and vinorelbine (local standard).

[Therapy in elderly patients].

The treatment of elderly patients with thoracic tumours poses a huge challenge. Apart from a decreased functional reserve, many patients already suffer from several,partially relevant comorbidities on the date of the initial diagnosis. In the past, this often resulted in the fact that elderly patients were underrepresented in clinical studies but were often undertreated in clinical routine.