Journal: International journal of cancer
This multicenter retrospective study involved 960 patients with unresectable, driver gene-negative Stage III NSCLC from 14 Chinese institutions. It assessed various treatment regimens centered around chemoradiotherapy (concurrent or sequential) and immunotherapy (IO).
Patients were divided into five groups:
- Immunotherapy combined with chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by IO
- Chemoradiotherapy followed by IO
- Chemotherapy alone
- Chemoradiotherapy alone
Weighted median progression-free survival (PFS) ranged from 7.1 months (chemotherapy alone) to 25.8 months (chemoradiotherapy followed by IO). Overall survival (OS) was not reached in the group receiving combined IO plus chemoradiotherapy followed by IO.
No significant differences in PFS or OS were noted between early IO integration with chemoradiotherapy and standard chemoradiotherapy followed by IO.
Pneumonitis was most common in the chemoradiotherapy followed by IO group, but early IO did not increase immune-related adverse events.
The study supports early incorporation of immunotherapy with chemoradiotherapy and subsequent maintenance IO as an effective and safe approach for unresectable Stage III NSCLC.