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

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.

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/m²) plus CBDCA (area under the plasma concentration time curve (AUC) 2) and thoracic radiotherapy (50 Gy/25 fractions).

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).

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.