Combined radiation therapy and daily low-dose cisplatin for inoperable, locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: results of a phase II trial.

The Free University Hospital in Amsterdam conducted a phase II trial on inoperable patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to evaluate the role of cisplatin as a radiosensitizer. Forty patients were entered into the study. Thirty-three patients were evaluable for response and 37 for toxicity. The regimen consisted of the daily administration of cisplatin 6 mg/m2 administered within 30 minutes after each radiation therapy session. The radiation therapy modality was a regimen of 300 cGy four times per week for 4 weeks with a 2-week split in between, administering a total dose of 48 Gy. The overall response rate was 65%; median duration of control of local disease was 7 months, and overall survival was 10.5 months. Toxicity was considered to be mild. The results appear similar to data using radiation therapy alone; however, the optimum dosing and timing of this combination therapy has not been determined and deserves further clinical studies.