The Impact of Local and Regional Disease Extent on Overall Survival in Patients With Advanced Stage IIIB/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma

Patients with bulky central disease, bronchial/vascular compression, and/or pulmonary symptoms exhibited worse overall survival after first-line, platinum-based chemotherapy. A subset of these patients may be studied to determine whether early, planned palliative thoracic radiation could also be of benefit.