THE ROLE OF RADIOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF STAGE-III NONSMALL CELL LUNG-CANCER - A SURVEY OF CLINICAL PRACTICES IN LOMBARDY, ITALY, BY THE AIRO-LOMBARDIA-COOPERATIVE-GROUP

Aim and background: The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of stage ill nan-smalt cell lung cancer is controversial. The aim of this surv ey was to investigate the use of this modality in current clinical pra ctice in Lombardy, a highly industrialized region of northern Italy. M ethods: A questionnaire was sent to all 13 radiotherapy centers in Lom bardy, covering statistical, clinical, technical and strategical aspec ts, and the responses were analyzed. Results: A wide range of attitude s was observed among participating radiation oncologists; the percenta ge of cases treated with curative intent varied largely between center s (4-100%), as did the proportion of patients given to radiation only rather than combined modality treatment (5-100% vs 0-90%). Conclusions : An urgent need exists for better cooperation between all clinicians involved in lung cancer treatment, pursuing the goals of a more unifor m clinical practice and a more aggressive clinical research attitude.