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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2020; 41(03): 346-353
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1698436
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Surgery as a Component of Multimodality Care for Known Stage IIIA-N2 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Adam J. Bograd
1   Division of Thoracic Surgery, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, Washington
,
Eric Vallières
1   Division of Thoracic Surgery, Swedish Cancer Institute, Seattle, Washington
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

Publication Date:
25 May 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Locally advanced, stage IIIA-N2 Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a heterogeneous patient population. Considerable controversy exists as to the optimal management of these patients. Local therapy alone with a single modality, namely surgery or radiation, is associated with high recurrence rates and low overall survival. Consequently, multimodality treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, with or without the utilization of surgery) has developed as a means of both local and systemic control for patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC, and has led to improved overall survival. While it is clear that multimodality therapy is beneficial, the ideal composition of the treatment regimen remains a work in progress. As a result, the optimal management of patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC is widely debated, as is the role for surgery in a multimodality treatment regimen. Herein, we review the current literature supporting multimodality therapy for stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC with an emphasis on the data supporting the role of surgery in resectable and potentially resectable patients.

Keywords

lung cancer - stage IIIA - N2 - multimodality therapy - surgery
 

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    • Suggested Reading

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