HEALTH PROFESSIONAL · SOURCE READING

For treatment of locally advanced unresectable tumor in patients who are not candidates for chemotherapy

Source: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: May 15, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.

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Context: Treatment of Stages IIIB and IIIC NSCLC / Treatment Options for Stages IIIB and IIIC NSCLC / Radiation therapy alone

Radiation therapy alone may provide benefit to patients with locally advanced unresectable stage III NSCLC.

Radiation therapy with traditional dose and fractionation schedules (1.8–2.0 Gy per fraction per day to 60–70 Gy in 6–7 weeks) results in reproducible long-term survival benefit in 5% to 10% of patients and significant palliation of symptoms.[22]

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Evidence (radiation therapy for locally advanced unresectable tumor):

One prospective randomized clinical study showed the following:

Radiation therapy given as three daily fractions improved OS compared with radiation therapy given as one daily fraction.[23][Level of evidence A1]

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One prospective randomized clinical study showed the following:

Patterns of failure for patients treated with radiation therapy alone included both locoregional and distant failures.

Publication references

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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice