Dr. Will Warlick Discuses ASTRO Meeting Highlights – Adding Lung Cancer Chest Radiation

Written By: Dr. Will Warlick

SERO Journal Club met on November 21, 2014 and discussed the highlights from the recent ASTRO (American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncology) meeting in San Francisco.

One of the advances reviewed was related to advanced (extensive stage) small cell lung cancer and the role of adding chest radiation to standard care chemotherapy and brain radiation. The study of almost 500 patients was published in The Lancet by first author Ben J. Slotman in September of this year. The study demonstrated a significant 10 percent 2-year survival benefit by adding 3000 cGy of radiation over 2 weeks to the chest tumor over chemotherapy and brain irradiation only (standard care). This study further confirms work by other groups and could change and improve the standard of care for patients with advanced small cell lung cancer.

Read More:

• The Lancet – “Use of thoracic radiotherapy for extensive stage small-cell lung cancer: a phase 3 randomised controlled trial”