Analysis of long-term outcomes and exceptional responders after non-curative thoracic (chemo)radiotherapy for stage II/III non-small cell lung cancer.
- 1Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine, Nordland Hospital, Bodø, Norway.
- 2Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Abstract
This retrospective study analysed long-term survival and exceptional responses, defined as 3-year survival with in-field control, after palliative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage II/III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Predictive factors for exceptional responses were evaluated. Different baseline and treatment parameters, including but not limited to age, stage, target volume size, histology and concomitant therapy, were assessed. Outcomes were abstracted from electronic health records. Univariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. The study included 93 patients, 13 of whom achieved exceptional responses (14%). Although median survival was limited to 11.7 months, 15% of patients survived beyond 5 years. Common characteristics of exceptional responders included out-patient status, no previous hospitalisation in the preceding month, normal serum C-reactive protein (CRP), not on steroid medication, no major weight loss, treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy and higher radiation dose, e.g. 15 fractions of 2.8 Gy. Further analysis suggested a greater impact of concomitant chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.04) than stable weight (p = 0.06), out-patient status at the start of radiotherapy and other variables (p = 0.1 or higher). Chemoradiotherapy with a lower total radiation dose than that traditionally defined as radical or curative may lead to favourable disease control in a subgroup of patients. In addition to concomitant treatment, stable pre-treatment weight was associated with exceptional response.
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BibTeX
@article{nieder2026analysis,
title = {{Analysis of long-term outcomes and exceptional responders after non-curative thoracic (chemo)radiotherapy for stage II/III non-small cell lung cancer.}},
author = {Carsten Nieder and Siv Gyda Aanes and Luka Stanisavljevic and Bård Mannsåker},
journal = {Reports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.5603/rpor.113086},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997647},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Analysis of long-term outcomes and exceptional responders after non-curative thoracic (chemo)radiotherapy for stage II/III non-small cell lung cancer.
AU - Carsten Nieder
AU - Siv Gyda Aanes
AU - Luka Stanisavljevic
AU - Bård Mannsåker
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Reports of practical oncology and radiotherapy : journal of Greatpoland Cancer Center in Poznan and Polish Society of Radiation Oncology
DO - 10.5603/rpor.113086
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997647
AB - This retrospective study analysed long-term survival and exceptional responses, defined as 3-year survival with in-field control, after palliative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy in patients with stage II/III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Predictive factors for exceptional responses were evaluated. Different baseline and treatment parameters, including but not limited to age, stage, target volume size, histology and concomitant therapy, were assessed. Outcomes were abstracted from electronic health records. Univariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed. The study included 93 patients, 13 of whom achieved exceptional responses (14%). Although median survival was limited to 11.7 months, 15% of patients survived beyond 5 years. Common characteristics of exceptional responders included out-patient status, no previous hospitalisation in the preceding month, normal serum C-reactive protein (CRP), not on steroid medication, no major weight loss, treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy and higher radiation dose, e.g. 15 fractions of 2.8 Gy. Further analysis suggested a greater impact of concomitant chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.04) than stable weight (p = 0.06), out-patient status at the start of radiotherapy and other variables (p = 0.1 or higher). Chemoradiotherapy with a lower total radiation dose than that traditionally defined as radical or curative may lead to favourable disease control in a subgroup of patients. In addition to concomitant treatment, stable pre-treatment weight was associated with exceptional response.
SN - 1507-1367
SN - 2083-4640
ER -