Therapeutic effect of induction therapy including nab-paclitaxel followed by surgical resection for the patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Background Lung cancer is associated with a high mortality rate worldwide.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major subtype of lung cancer.

Carboplatin (CBDCA) plus nab-paclitaxel (PTX) has become a standard treatment for advanced unresectable NSCLC.

However, treatment with nab-PTX has not been established as a standard therapy for resectable locally advanced (LA)-NSCLC.

Methods We conducted a comprehensive study involving consecutive patients with locally advanced NSCLC who underwent induction therapy including nab-PTX followed by surgical resection.

Fifteen patients with locally advanced NSCLC underwent induction therapy including nab-PTX followed by surgical resection.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) consisted of weekly administration of nab-PTX (50 mg/m^2) plus CBDCA (area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) 2) and thoracic radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions).

Results The clinical stages were as follows: IIB ( n = 1), IIIA ( n = 12), and IIIC ( n = 2).

Downstaging was observed in 73% (11/15) of patients on comparison with the clinical stage before concurrent CRT.

Adverse drug reactions were observed in seven patients.

Complete resection was performed in all patients.

The re-evaluated pathological stage after pretreatment was diagnosed as stage 0 in three patients, stage IA1 in six, stage IA2 in one, and stage IIIA in five.

The pathological effects of previous therapy were as follows: Ef3 ( n = 3), Ef2 ( n = 9), and Ef1a ( n = 3).

Conclusion The therapeutic effect of induction therapy including nab-PTX was promising.

Induction CRT, including nab-PTX, followed by resection, may be a viable alternative treatment option for locally advanced NSCLC.