Few randomized trials of preoperative and postoperative adjuvant systemic therapy have been performed in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
The authors reviewed the recent literature on comparative trials and meta-analyses to determine the current status of adjuvant therapy for patients with NSCLC.
Results
Postoperative adjuvant therapy with cisplatin-containing regimens reduces the risk of death by 3% at two years and by 5% at five years. Preoperative therapy can clear tumor in the resected specimen in approximately 15% of cases, and two small trials report substantial survival benefit.
Conclusions
The development of new and more active regimens for NSCLC may provide the biologic basis for clinical trials to demonstrate more pronounced benefit for adjuvant systemic therapy.
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