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A higher dose of radiation (74 Gy) does not improve overallsurvival for non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, compared to the standardradiation dose (60 Gy), according to an interim analysis of alate-breaking randomized study presented at the plenary session,October 3, 2011, at the 53rdAnnual Meeting of the American Societyfor Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). "Most radiation oncologists and lung cancer specialists aresurprised by this finding. Although the optimal radiation dose forlung cancer patients has not been tested in a randomized phase IIItrial for over 30 years, most believed that higher doses ofradiation cured more patients with lung cancer," Jeffrey Bradley,MD, a radiation oncologist at the Washington University School ofMedicine in St. Louis, said. The goal of the phase III trial was to find out if high doses ofradiation improve survival and also if the chemotherapy drug,Cetuximab, increases survival among stage III non-small cell lungcancer patients. Investigators randomized 423 patients to differentdoses of radiation therapy and concurrent chemotherapy ofpaclitaxel and carboplatin with or without Cetuximab. Patientsreceived one of four treatment arms: standard-dose (60 Gy) versushigh-dose (74 Gy) radiation therapy and to chemotherapy with orwithout Cetuximab. Two types of external beam radiation therapy were used during thetrial: three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), thatuses special imaging techniques to precisely tailor the radiationbeams so that nearby normal tissue receives less radiation; andintensity modulated radiation therapy, (IMRT), a newer, specializedform of 3D-CRT which further limits the radiation dose to thenormal tissues. Based on the study's early findings, patients who received thehigher dose of radiation (74 Gy) did not have better survival ratesthan those receiving the standard dose (60 Gy); therefore, the twoarms of the trial which used high-dose radiation therapy wereclosed to patient accrual. "The trial provides class I evidence that the standard dose ofradiation therapy for stage III lung cancer should remain at itsexisting level of (60 Gy) and doses as high as 74 Gy are not betterin curing Stage III lung cancer," Dr. Bradley said. "We are notsure why this is the case and our data is still being carefullyreviewed." Additional References Citations. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Shoe Shine Kit , Shoe Shine Brush Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Polypropylene Non Woven Fabric.
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